\wast‘s

popular
THEIR
ORIGIN
AND
MEANING

Н. М. ЗЛЬЯНОВА
ИХ ПРОИСХОЖДЕНИЕ
И ЗНАЧЕНИЕ
hrases

ПОСОБИЕ ДЛЯ СТУДЕНТОВ
ПЕДАГОГИЧЕСКИХ ИНСТИТУТОВ
на английском языке
Оформление художника £. г. крейцера

ПРЕДИСЛОВИЕ
Предлагаемое пособие содержит свыше ста английских устой­
чивых словосочетаний и устойчивых фраз, обычно называемых
крылатыми словами, Из всей массы крылатых слов в англий­
ском языке для книги отобраны афоризмы, цитаты и меткие вы­
ражения, которые имеют точный эквивалент в русском языке и
по происхождению связаны с классической и библейской мифо­
логией и древней историей или заимствованы из литературных
источников.
Для удобства пользования книгой все крылатые выражения
расположены в порядке английского алфавита (по первому зна­
чимому слову). В заголовке каждой статьи параллельно с анг­
лийским крылатым выражением приведен его русский эквивалент.
В тексте раскрывается значение крылатого выражения и на ос­
новании существующих английских и русских энциклопедий,
словарей и справочников по лексикологии объясняется его про­
исхождение (книга не ставит своей задачей точное этимологи­
ческое исследование крылатых слов и лишь приводит некоторые
из существующих популярных рассказов или легенд о том, как
возникло то или иное крылатое выражение); после статьи ино­
гда следуют примеры на употребление крылатых слов, взятые
из оригинальной литературы, В тех случаях, когда крылатые сло­
ва связаны между собой по употреблению или происхождению,
даются перекрестные ссылки на соответствующие статьи, рас­
крывающие или дополняющие сведения о происхождении кры­
латого слова. Например, в статье Golden Age имеются ссылки
на Periclean Age и Augustan Age; в статье То kill the fatted
calf — на Prodigal son.
После основного текста дается произношение имен собствен­
ных и трудных в фонетическом отношении слов. Затем в ряде
случаев следуют примечания, цель которых — обратить внимание
учащихся
на
лексические, фонетические или грамматические
особенности
некоторых
слов
и предостеречь их от часто
встречающихся ошибок. В примечания вынесены слова
либо
5

отсутствующие в обычном словаре, либо такие, за которыми,
вследствие их кажущейся простоты, студенты редко обращаются
к словарю.
Для закрепления материала предлагаются различные упраж­
нения. В зависимости от степени подготовленности студентов
преподаватель по своему усмотрению может заменять один вид
упражнений другим, например, выполнить перевод русского тек­
ста вместо пересказа и наоборот; двусторонний перевод можно
дать не только с листа, но и на слух, синхронно (синхронный
перевод желательно проводить в лингафонной лаборатории, с
записью на магнитофонную ленту и последующим разбором до­
стоинств и недостатков перевода с точки зрения его адекватно­
сти, грамотности, стиля),
В связи с тем, что собранные в книге крылатые слова имеют
широкое распространение и в той или иной степени знакомы
учащимся из мифологии, истории и литературы, работу над тек­
стом можно начинать с вопросов. Вопросы, предваряющие текст,
позволяют проверить начитанность учащихся. В тех же случаях,
когда учащиеся не имеют ясного представления о значении и
происхождении крылатого слова, такие вопросы повышают инте­
рес к содержанию последующего текста. В связи с любым тек­
стом могут быть заданы вопросы типа: What does the phrase
mean? Where does it come from?, а также вопросы, раскрываю­
щие конкретное содержание последующего текста. Так, работу
над текстом То cross the Rubicon можно предварить такими во­
просами, как: When and where did Caesar live? What was the
Rubicon? Why did Caesar cross the Rubicon thus breaking the
order of the Roman Senate? и др.
К именам собственным и географическим названиям, упомя­
нутым в статьях, в конце книги дан комментарий. Все собствен­
ные имена расположены в порядке английского алфавита и
снабжены транскрипцией; шрифтовые выделения внутри поясни­
тельного текста означают, что к выделенному слову имеется от­
дельное пояснение, которое следует искать в комментарии на со­
ответствующую букву, например:
Academy [a'kasdsmi], a pleasure-garden near A thens (said
to have belonged to the legendary hero Academus) in which p la t o
taught. (Слова A thens и p la t o откомментированы отдельно.)
Русский текст для упражнений заимствован в ряде случаев
из книги Н. С . Ашукина и М. Г Ашукиной Крылатые слова, в
примечаниях иногда используется материал книги Н. М . Эльяно-
вой и М. Д . Лейн Некоторые трудности английского языка.
Последним разделом книги является русско-английский ал­
фавитный указатель всех статей.
Книга может оказаться интересной и полезной не только для
студентов специальных вузов и факультетов английского языка
(главным образом на 1 и II курсах), но и для всех изучающих
английский язык.
Автор с благодарностью примет замечания и предложения
читателей по поводу данной книги.

An abomination of desolation
Мерзость запустения
The phrase an abomination of desolation comes from
the Bible. The biblical story has it that when the Ro­
mans conquered Palestine, they set up their standard
in the Holy of Holies in the temple of Jerusalem. The
Holy of Holies was the sanctuary of the temple, entered
only by the high priest. The Roman stand ard within the
walls of the sanctuary was regarded by the people of
Jerusalem with horror and disgust, as an abomination.
The abominable place was forsaken by the people and
fell into ruin and neglect. As the Roman stand ard
caused abomination and brought destruction, it was
called an abomination of desolation (the abomination
that makes desolate). In modern speech the phrase is
used to denote anything very hateful, regarded with
aversion, an abominable thing.
I shall pay no attention to such quotations as
those with which Dr Samuel Smiles diversifies
Self-Help and Character. These were done with
scissors and paste, and, so far from improving the
texture of Smiles’ work, make it an abomination
of desolation.
E. E . Kellett, Literary Quotation and Allusion
7

Pronunciation and stress:
Palestine ['paehstain], Jerusalem [dja'nKsalam], deso­
lation [/desa'leijan], desolate ['desalit], sanctuary
['sasgktjuari]
The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
1. Выражение мерзость запустения заимствовано
из библии. 2. Согласно библейской легенде, римляне,
завоевав Палестину, водрузили над алтарем иеруса­
лимского храма свое знамя. 3. Храм в Иерусалиме
Считался священным и особенно его алтарь, святая
святых, куда доступ разрешался только верховному
священнослужителю. 4. После вторжения римских
солдат, храм в Иерусалиме был опустошен и заброшен
и перестал быть местом священнослужений. 5. В со­
временном языке выражение мерзость запустения
употребляется, когда речь идет о чем-либо запущен­
ном или грязном, вызывающем глубокое отвращение.
Adam ’s apple
Адамово яблоко

Adam’s apple is the name given to the part that
sticks out in the human throat. It moves up and down
as the person speaks. The queer name began with the
popular belief that a piece of the apple (the forbidden
fruit) which Adam ate stuck in his throat, and made
this curious swelling. It is really the front part, of the
larynx, and appears in boys when they are in their
teens. (See also: To eat of the tree of knowledge.)
Pronunciation and stress:
Adam ['aedam], la ry n x ['laerigks]
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the questions and the statements.
1. Выражение адамово яблоко связано по своему
происхождению с библейской легендой о прародителе
человеческого рода Адаме. 2. Бог запретил Адаму вку­
шать от древа познания добра и зла. 3. Невзирая на
это, Адам вкусил запретный плод. 4. Народное поверье
гласит, что кусочек яблока застрял у Адама в горле.
5. Отсюда возникло любопытное название адамово
яб локо .
An Aeolian h a rp
Эолова арфа
An Aeolian harp is a string musical instrument
played by the wind. It is made by stretching strings of
catgut over a wooden box. Being placed in a draught
and thus exposed to the action of the wind it produces
pleasing sounds of plaintive music, if the strings are
properly tuned. The name Aeolian harp has been de­
rived from classical mythology. Thus was called the harp
belonging to Aeolus, the god of the winds and the king
of the islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea, north of Sicily
(now the Lipari islands), In the caverns of these
islands the winds were supposed to be confined.
9

Pronunciation and stress:
Aeolian [i/ouljgn], Aeolus ['iroulas], Tyrrhenian
[ti'ri:njan], Lipari ['Ьрэп], Sicily ['sisih], c a tg ut ['kaetgAt],
draught [dra:ft], stringed [strir)d]
Notes:
DRAUGHT, DROUGHT. These two words are sometimes
confused in careless speech and writing whereas they
are to be clearly discriminated. Draught [dra:ft], spelled
also draft in American English, is a current of air.
It is also the name of a game played on a board with
twenty-four flat round pieces. Drought [draut] is a pe­
riod of dry rainless weather that causes poor crops.
The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
1. Эолова арфа — своеобразный музыкальный ин­
струмент. 2. Она представляет собой деревянную раму
с натянутыми струнами, звучащими от порыва ветра.
3. Название эолова арфа заимствовано из греческой
мифологии. 4. Так называлась арфа бога ветров Эола.
5. Острова в Тирренском море к северу от Сицилии на­
ходились под властью Эола. 6. Считалось, что их пе­
щеры были убежищем ветров.
After us, the deluge
После нас хоть потоп
After us, the deluge, the translation of Apres nous,
le deluge, means ‘I don’t care what happens when I am
dead and gone’. The saying is generally ascribed to
Madame de Pompadour, the mistress of Louis XV. Some
say that she made the remark to her lover when the lat­
ter was worried about the future of France after the de­
feat by Frederick the Great in 1757. According to others,
Mme de Pompadour used the phrase to laugh off all the
remonstrances of ministers at her extravagance. Some
twelve years afterwards Metternich, the Austrian states­
man, used the same words, m eaning that after his death
his state might go to the dogs for all he cared.

Pronunciation and stress:
Pompadour ['рошрэёиэ], Louis ['lun], Frederick
['fredrik], remonstrance [ri'monstrans], extravagance
[iks'traevigans], deteriorate [di'tiamreit], Metternich
['metanik], Austrian ['orstmn]
Notes:
MADAME ['maedam] is a French title given to all
married women. In English usage it is commonly ap­
plied to foreign married ladies of whatever nationality.
The plural form is mesdames ['meidaem], Mme and
Mmes are the abbreviations.
Do the following two-way translation:
Что означает выражение После нас хоть потоп?
It means the future doesn’t concern me,
I don’t care what happens after my death.
Насколько я помню, это не исконное английское
выражение.
It is not, it is.brought from France.
А как это звучит в оригинале?
I must apologize beforehand for my poor
French. The original words are Apres nous,
le deluge.
Эти слова приписывают мадам де Помпадур, фаво­
ритке Людовика XV, не так ли?
Yes, the phrase is believed to have, o rigi­
nated with her.
Я хотел бы знать, в связи с чем мадам де Помпа­
дур произнесла эти слова.
This is rather doubtful, I should say. It
is suggested by some that she made the re­
mark to laugh off the remonstrances of mi­
nisters at her extravagance. Others say that
the remark was made on a different occa­
sion.
Aladdin’s lamp
Волшебная лампа Аладдина
The phrase Aladdin’s lamp denotes a talisman that
brings good fortune and success. It comes from the tale
of Aladdin and his wonderful lamp.
11

An African magician came to China to get a won­
derful lamp from an underground palace, but the pas­
sage leading to the palace being very narrow, he had to
employ a little boy called Aladdin to go down and
fetch the lamp. But when the boy did not hand him the
lamp at once, the wicked magician closed up the open­
ing in the earth and went home to Africa leaving
Aladdin underground. Aladdin, however, managed to
get home, making use of the magician’s ring. He told
his mother all about the adventure and, being very
poor, she suggested they should sell the lamp, but first
it ought to be cleaned. Hardly had the lamp been
'
rubbed that a jinn appeared and asked for Aladdin’s
commands. Aladdin told him to bring some food, and
immediately a delightful dinner was set before him.
Later Aladdin rubbed the lamp again and asked the jinn
for a beautiful palace, immense riches, and a charming
princess for his wife. By artifice the magician got pos­
session of the lamp and transported the palace with its
contents to Africa. But Aladdin destroyed his enemy
the magician, recovered the lamp, brought the palace
back and lived in it happily ever after.
The story is told in the Arabian Nights also called
Thousand and One Nights, a collection of fairy stories
and fantastic romances, that originated in India and
through Persia found their way to the Arabian Penin­
sula. Princess Scheherazade, sentenced to death by a
cruel sultan, told him wonderful tales for a thousand
and one nights until the sultan had quite forgotten he
was going to execute her.
Pronunciation and stress:
Aladdin [a'lsedin], A rabian [a'reibjan], Persian
['рэ^эп], m agician [ma'd^ijan], China ['tjain a], Schehe­
razade [Ji/hiara'zaida], talism an ['taelizman], rom ance
[ra'm sens], su ltan ['sAltan], execute ['eksikju:t]
Notes:
THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS. Remember to use
the plural form of the noun with the numerals ending
in ‘one’, e. g. twenty-one books, thirty-one days. In Rus­
sian, it is the singular form that we use in this case,
e. g двадцать одна книга, тридцать один день.
12

ARABIAN, ARABIC. The
two words are to be distin­
guished. Arabian means
‘pertaining to Arabia or
Arabs’, e. g. Arabian Penin­
sula, Arabian Sea, Arabian
Desert, Arabian fauna,
Arabian history, Arabian
Tales. A rabic ['aerabik] is
used of the language, liter­
ature and culture of the
Arabs, e. g. Arabic lan­
guage, Arabic architecture,
Arabic figures.
ORIGINATE FROM, IN,
WITH. In and from are
used with the verb to orig­
inate if the object to the
verb denotes either a place
or an abstract notion, e. g.
a custom which originated
in or from India, a quarrel
which originated in or from
a misunderstanding. With
the object denoting a per­
son with and from are
used, e. g. a rumour which
originated with or from an
old woman.
ГО EXECUTE, EXECUTION, EXECUTIVE. Care should be
taken to pronounce ['eksikju:t| /eksi'kjuijan | ig'zekjutiv]
13

Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the questions and the statements.
1. Выражение волшебная лампа Аладдина упо­
требляется в значении: талисман, выполняющий все
желания своего владельца. 2. Выражение заимствова­
но из сказки «Аладдин и волшебная лампа» в сбор­
нике арабских сказок «Тысяча и одна ночь». 3. Стоило
герою сказки Аладдину слегка потереть свою волшеб­
ную лампу, как к нему являлся джинн, который ис­
полнял все его желания. 4. Арабские сказки родились
в Индии, затем проникли сначала в Персию, а оттуда
на Аравийский полуостров.
All roads lead to Rome
Все дороги ведут в Рим
The words All roads lead to Rome mean there are
m any ways of accomplishing an end. It is a proverbial
expression which probably originated when Rome was
the chief city of the world. The words occur in one of
the fables by La Fontaine, a famous French fabulist of
the XVII century. The fable has it that three righteous
men wished to earn their salvation. They decided to
take different roads: one of them became a just lawyer,
another, a conscientious physician, the third, a hermit;
but as all roads lead to Rome, all the three hoped to
reach their destination in the end.
Pronunciation and stress:
La Fontaine [la'fomtan], fabulist f'faebjulist], rig ht­
eous ['raitjas]
Notes-
LEAD, LED . The past of ‘to lead’ is spelled ‘led’, not
‘lead’, the latter is a noun denoting a soft, heavy metal.
The words are sometimes confused through their being
homophones.
FABLE, FABULIST . Be careful topronounce ['fasbjulist],
though ['feibl].
14

Alpha and Omega
Альфа и Омега
Alpha and Omega are two letters of the Greek al­
phabet. Alpha is the first letter and Omega the last.
When people refer to the Alpha and Omega of anything,
they mean the beginning and the end, the whole of it.
The usage is based on the passage from the Revelation
(Apocalypse), the last book of the New Testament, con­
taining the striking disclosure; “I am Alpha and Ome­
ga, the beginning and the ending,” saith the Lord.”
It is a truism that the development of English
literature since Chaucer is unthinkable without the
Mediterranean background, that ever since the
Renaissance the classics have been the alpha and
omega of the grammar school curriculum.
V. Grove, The Language Bar
Pronunciation and stress:
Alpha ['aelfa], O m eg a ['oumiga], Apocalypse
[a'pokahps], usage ['jursidj], based [beist], revelation
[/rev i'leijan]
Notes:
GREEK, GRECIAN . Both words mean ‘pertaining to
Greece and the Greeks’. The former is much more usual.
Grecian is rare, except with reference to architecture
and physiognomy, e. g. Grecian column, Grecian pro­
file. Grecian is also used in special word combinations:
Grecian bend, an affected mode of walking with the
15

body bent forward from the hips; Grecian knot, a
method of dressing women’s hair in imitation of the
ancient Greek fashion, etc.
The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
1. Альфа и омега— первая и последняя буквы
греческой азбуки. 2. Выражение альфа и омега заим­
ствовано из библии. 3. Оно заимствовано из той части
Нового завета, которая называется Апокалипсис и со­
держит пророчества о конце света. 4. Цитата из Но­
вого завета гласит: «Я есмь альфа и омега, начало и
конец; сказал Господь». 5. В значении ‘начало и ко­
нец’ выражение стало употребляться в литературном
'языке.
And thou too oh Brutus
И ты, Брут?
(Et tu, Brute?)
The words Et tu, Brute? (And thou too oh Brutus)
are from Shakespeare’s tragedy Julius Caesar, and are
addressed by the dying Caesar to Brutus, who joined
the conspirators to murder him. Brutus was a Roman
political leader. He had fought with Pompey against
Caesar; after Pompey’s defeat, Brutus surrendered to
Caesar, who freely pardoned him. He first served under
Caesar in Gaul, and afterwards commanded his fleet.
Caesar, who esteemed him very highly, made him gov­
ernor of Cisalpine Gaul, and, in case of Octavian’s
death, nominated him as one of the heirs (Octavian
was the name of Caesar’s adopted son).
After Caesar had got rid of his political rivals, Pom­
pey and C rassus, all political power in the state little
by little fell into his hands. Although he did not actu*
ally proclaim himself king, such was his power that it
was considered a probability. A group of republican se­
nators made up their minds to kill Caesar and thus
prevent him from replacing the constitutional republic
by a monarchy. Brutus, a staunch republican, was
among the conspirators who on the I of March,
44 В. С stabbed Caesar to death in the Senate.
16

The words El tu, Brute? have become proverbial and
are used with reference to an unexpected betrayal of
a close friend of very high moral standing.
Pronunciation and stress:
Julius Caesar fd^urljas 'si:z3], Brutus [/bru:t3s],
Pompey ['pampi], Gaul [дэ.:1], Octavian [ok'teivjan],
Shakespeare ['Jeikspia], senator ['senata], conspirator
[kon'spirata], s enate ['senit], heir [еэ], C rassu s ['kraesas],
staunch [sto:ntf], Ides [aidz], Cisalpine [sis'aelpain]
Notes:
ADDRESS, ADDRESS TO. To address is a transitive verb
and, unlike the corresponding Russian verb обращать­
ся, takes a direct object, e. g. The speaker addressed the
meeting. To address oneself to someone or something
is sometimes used in formal style, e. g. Please address
yourself to the secretary; He addressed himself to work.
If the verb takes two objects, direct and indirect, the
second always has the preposition to before it, e. g.
I addressed the letter to the director. Remember to use
the preposition to also in the Passive constructions, e. g.
That remark was addressed to you.
CONSPIRATOR. Be sure to pronounce it [kan'spirata],
don’t let the stress in the Russian equivalent конспи­
ратор m islead you.
Do the following two-way translation:
Вы, конечно, знаете, кому принадлежат слова И ты,
Брут?
These were the words of the dying Cae*
sar, were they not?
А Вы можете сказать, почему умирающий Цезарь
произнес их?
I believe Brutus used to be his friend.
And it came as a shock to Caesar to see him
among the conspirators.
А^не кажется, Брут и Юлий Цезарь не всегда были
единомышленниками. Разве вы не помните, что Брут
выступал против Цезаря на стороне Помпея?
Pompey? But I think at one time Pompey
sided with Caesar.
A ... вы имеете в виду триумвират.
17

Yes, something like that. Triumvirate.
I think thatjs the word. You know, I never
cared much for history. To tell the truth,
I had no end of trouble with the subject when
I went to school.
А я думал, вы интересуетесь древней историей.
No, I am the wrong person for you...
Here’s John Gable. He’s just what we call
historical-minded.
The apple of discord
Яблоко раздора
The phrase the apple of discord is used to denote
a cause of dispute, a moot point. The allusion is to the
Greek myth of the golden apple that the goddess of dis­
cord threw among the guests at the wedding of Thetis
and Peleus, to which she had not been invited. The ap­
ple bore the inscription “ for the fairest”. Hera (Juno),
Aphrodite (Venus) and Athena (Minerva) became com­
petitors for it. Being unable to settle the point, they re­
ferred the question to Paris, a Trojan prince. Each of
the three goddesses offered Paris a precious gift if he
would aw ard her the prize. Hera offered him a kingdom;
Athena, great success in battle; Aphrodite said she would
give him the most beautiful woman in the world for
his wife. Paris chose Aphrodite as the fairest. This in ­
flamed the jealousy and hatred of Hera and Athena to
all the Trojan race (to which Paris belonged), and
resulted in the Trojan w ar and the fall of Troy.
That night when standing by chance outside
the chamber of her parents she heard for the first
time their voices engaged in a sharp altercation.
The apple of discord had, indeed, been dropped
into the house of the Millbornes.
T. Hardy, Life’s Little Ironies
Pronunciation and stress:
Paris ['paeris], Hera ['hi:ra], Athena [э'Экпэ], Aphro­
dite [,aafr9'daiti], Thetis ['Getisj, Peleus ['pi:lju:s], Ju n o
['djumou], Venus ['vi:nas], Minerva [mi'naiva], Troy
18

ftroi], T rojaa ['troudjan], competitor [kam'petita], jeal­
ousy ['dgetasi]
Do the following two-way translation:
Знаете ли вы значение метафоры яблоко раз­
дора?
It denotes a moot point, doesn’t it? As far
as I know, it comes from Greek mythology.
Да, выражение заимствовано из греческого мифа
о Парисе и золотом яблоке. Вы помните, какая была
на яблоке надпись?
For the fairest.
И кому преподнес его Парис?
The legend has it that he awarded it to
Venus as the most beautiful of the three god­
desses.
Вы хотите сказать Афродите? Имя Венера употреб­
ляется в римской мифологии, а не в греческой. Итак,
на пиру среди прочих присутствовали три богини:
Гера,Афина и Афродита или, если хотите,
Юнона,
Минерва и Венера. Кстати, что это был за пир?
It was at the wedding feast of Thetis and
Peleus, where all the gods and goddesses
met.
Однако одна из богинь не была приглашена.
That was the goddess of discord. She
came uninvited and threw o nto the table the
golden apple.
Богини сами не смогли решить вопрос о том, кому
должно достаться золотое яблоко, не так ли?
Since the goddesses were unable to settle
the point, they referred the question to Paris,
the son of the king of Troy.
И Парис, не задумываясь, преподнес золотое ябло­
ко Афродите.
Paris’s judgement in favour of Aphrodite
brought upon him the vengeance of Hera and
Athena.
И из-за этого началась Троянская война?
And the fall of Troy is to be attributed
to the spite of the goddesses.
2*

Translate into English:
Яблоко раздора
Богини спорят о красоте.
—
Ну-ка, Парис, кому ты отдашь яблоко?
Медлит Парис: Гера предлагает ему власть, Афи­
на — славу, Афродита — самую красивую женщину.
Медлит Парис: он любит и власть, и славу, и ж ен­
щин. .. Но больше всего Парис любит яблоки.
Ф. Кривин, Божественные истории
In the arms of Morpheus
В объятиях Морфея
In classical mythology, Morpheus was the god of
dreams and the son of Hypnos, the god of sleep. He
is generally represented as an old man, wearing wings,
arid surrounded by poppies, his favourite flowers, be­
cause poppies induce dreams. To be in the arms of Mor­
pheus is to be asleep or dreaming. The phrase often
occurs in classical poetry. In modern speech it is used
only ironically.
Pronunciation and stress:
Morpheus ['mo:fju:s], Hypnos ['hipnas]
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the questions and the statements.
1. В греческой мифологии Морфей — сын бога сна
Гипноса, крылатый бог сновидений. 2. Имя его — си­
ноним сна. 3. Морфея обычно изображают в виде кры­
латого старца. 4. Как известно, из семян мака изго­
товляют снотворное средство опиум. 5. Выражение
быть в объятиях Морфея часто употребляется в клас­
сической поэзии в значении: видеть сны. 6. В повсе­
дневной речи выражение употребляется иронически.
As old as Methuselah
Стар как Мафусаил
Methuselah, a Hebrew patriarch, the grandfather of
Noah, is known as the oldest man mentioned in the
20

Bible, his age being stated in the Book of Genesis as
969 years. He died in the year of the Flood. Now the
phrase is used to denote any very old person.
Pronunciation and stress:
Methuselah [mi'0ju:z3b], Hebrew ['hi:bru:], Noah
['noua], p atriarch ['peitria:k], Genesis ['dgemsis]
Do the following two-way translation:
Как вы считаете, правда, что библейский патриарх
Мафусаил прожил 969 лет?
Well, I somehow doubt it. It’s a bit too
long, isn’t it? Though I’m going to live un­
til I am at least a hundred. My grandfather
died at 97 and father at 99.
Я вижу, в рамках своей семьи вы уже решили про­
блему долголетия. Я бы тоже хотел прожить не менее
ста лет. Но 969 — этого, конечно, не может быть. Н е­
ужели составители библии не понимали этого?
Ы

The original writers might have had in
mind a period different from the year of
365 days.
В самом деле. Мне это просто не приходило в го­
лову.
As poor as Lazarus
)
Беден как Лазарь
The phrase as poor as Lazarus is derived from the
Gospel parable of the rich man and the beggar. Laza­
rus, a leprous beggar, was so poor and miserable that
lying near the door of a rich man’s house he dreamed
of a few morsels of bread that would fall from the din­
ner-table. In modern speech the words are used to de­
scribe a very poor man, especially a diseased beggar.
Pronunciation and stress:
Lazarus ['laezarss], parable ['рэегэЫ], diseased
[di'zi.-zd]
Attic salt
Аттическая соль
Attica was a district of ancient Greece, with the
administrative centre at Athens. It influenced the lives
and thoughts of countless people for more than 2,000
years, so great was the learning and the taste of those
who lived there in the remote past. The adjective Attic,
besides ‘pertaining to Attica’, has come to denote, me­
taphorically,
‘a nything characterized by simplicity,
purity and refinement’.
The phrase Attic salt denotes delicate, sharp wit,
resembling the refined and elegant style of the Athenian
writers. Salt, both in Latin and Greek, w as a polyse­
mantic word, one of its meanings being ‘wit’, or ‘sparkl­
ing thought’, and hence Attic salt means wit as point­
ed and delicately expressed as that which was charac­
teristic of the Athenians.
Pronunciation and stress:
Attica ['aetika], Athens ['aeGinz], Athenian [a'Simjan]
ad ministrative [ad'm mistrstiv]
22

Notes:
ADMINISTRATIVE. Care should be taken to pronounce
it [ad'ministrativ]. Misled by the word ‘ad ministration’
[ad/minis'treijan], students often shift the stress to the
last but one syllable changing [э] into [ei].
INFLUENCE. The verb should be followed by non-pre-
positional object, e. g.: The weather influences crops.
The common error ‘to influence upon’ is probably
caused by the Russian влиять на or else by the use of
‘on’ or ‘upon’ with the noun ‘influence’.
COUNTLESS, UNCOUNTABLE. The words are close in
m eaning, but not synonymous: countless m eans ‘too
many to be counted’, as stars in the sky; uncountable —
‘incapable of being counted’, as air or soap, etc.
Do the following two-way translation:
В каком значении употребляется в литературной
речи выражение аттическая соль?
The phrase denotes delicate, sharp wit.
Како во происхождение слова аттический?
Attic means ‘pertaining to Attica’ a dis­
trict of ancient Greece.
В какой части Греции находилась эта область?
It was the name of a little peninsula,
north-east of Corinth. Its administrative cen­
tre w as Athens.
.
А что означает в этом выражении слово соль?
In both Greek and Latin, salt was a syn­
onym for wit.
Чем славились жители Аттики?
As Cicero says, “The Athenians were not­
ed for their wit and elegant turns of
thought.”
The Augean stables
Авгиевы конюшни
In modern speech the Augean stables are a symbol
of worthless lumber a reformer must sweep auray before
his work can .begin. The phrase to cleanse the Augean
23

stables means to bring about a drastic reform in some
(usually public) evil. It comes from Greek mythology.
Augeas, a fabled king of Elis, in Greece, w as the
owner of some 3,000 beautiful oxen; the animals,
however, were so wild that their stalls had not been
cleaned once in thirty years.
The stables were in a terrible state of filth. The
task of cleansing them w as assigned to Hercules, the
popular hero of ancient Greek legends, who easily ef­
fected it by breaking down a part of the wall, and
turning through fhe stables two rivers that flowed
close by, thus washing out thoroughly the horrible mire
and filth within. Performing the task was one of the
twelve labours of Hercules.
Pronunciation and stress:
Augeas [o/djkaes], Augean [э:Мз;(:)эп], Hercules
['h3:kjuli:z], Elis ['i:hs], clean se [klenz], th o ro u g hly
['ВлгэЬ], evil ,['i:vl]
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the questions and the answers.
1. Авгиевы конюшни — в переносном смысле очень
запущенные, грязные помещения, крайний беспорядок
в делах, требующий огромных усилий для его устра­
нения. 2. Название заимствовано из греческой мифо­
логии и происходит от имени царя Элиды Авгия.
3. В греческом мифе рассказывается, что у Авгия
были огромные конюшни, которые не очищались мно­
го лет. 4. Очистить конюшни царя Авгия поручили
прославленному герою древнегреческих мифов Герак­
лу (в римской мифологии Геркулес). 5. Он провел че­
рез эти конюшни воды двух расположенных побли­
зости рек, которые за один день унесли из конюшен
всю скопившуюся грязь. 6. Очистка Авгиевых коню­
ш е н — это один из двенадцати подвигов Геракла.
The Augustan age
Век Августа
The Augustan age, in its direct historical sense, is
a period in the history of ancient Rome during the
reign of Emperor Augustus, the most flourishing pe*
24

riod in the culture of the Roman state when Latin
lite ra tu re reached its climax.
Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian Augustus (63 В. C . —
A. D. 14), the nephew of Julius Caesar, became the
first Rom^n emperor, occupying the throne fro m 2 7 B.C .
to his death. He was a great statesman, a very shrewd
and clever politician. While being nominally a princeps
i. e. ‘the first among equals’, his power depended large­
ly on public opinion, and Octavian Augustus took
great pains to influence public opinion in his own
favour while standing his ground firmly. For instance,
he restored many customs, traditions and institutions
of the Roman republic, the effect of which action was
substantially lessened by his nominating himself or
someone of his family as the head of all those institu­
tions. Augustus encouraged the building of beautiful
m arble temples and palaces, thus providing commis­
sions for many architects and sculptors; but it is worth
remembering that the temples and other public edifices
were to glorify Augustus and his ‘divine’ descent.
Poetry and literature are very important means of
influencing public opinion, and patronage of poets and
writers was in fact a part of Augustus’ national policy
carried out by Gaius Maecenas, the emperor’s friend
and adviser (whose name has come to mean a gener­
ous patron of literature and art). The best-known
poets of the period are Virgil, with his chief work
Aeneid, an epic poem of the Roman people describing
the adventures of Aeneas ajid his Trojans; Horace, with
his Satires, Odes, etc.; Ovid, whose m ajor work is M et­
amorphoses-, Tibullus, a lyrical poet. Of the histo rians,
the most celebrated is Titus Livy, who wrote a history
of Rome from the foundation of the city to the 9th cen­
tury B. C.
The term Augustan Age is applied in English liter­
ary history to the beginning of 18th century when
English poets translated Homer, Virgil, Horace, Ovid.
Pronunciation and stress:
Augustus [o:'gAstss], Augustan [o:'gAstan], Octavian
[ok'teivjan], Virgil ['vardgil], H orace ['horss], Aeneid
['i:nnd], Aeneas [i(:)'ni:aes], Ovid ['ovid], M etam o rphoses
[/ineta'nwfouziz], satire ['ssetaia], Trojan ['troudjan],
25

Tibullus fti'bAbs], Titus Livy ['taitas 'hvi], climax
['klaimasks], princeps ['prinkeps], edifice ['edifis], pa tro n
['peitran], patronage ['pstramdj], Maecenas [mi'sirnses],
empire ['empaia]
Notes:
EMPIRE, EMPEROR, im perial . Be sure to pronounce
empire ['empaia] with the first syllable stressed. In
careless speech the stress is frequently shifted to the
second syllable, probably through the association with
the Russian word империя. Emperor ['етрэгэ] and im­
perial [im'piarial] are also frequently mispronounced.
Translate the following questions into English and supply the
answers:
I. Какой период в истории древнего Рима назы­
вают веком Августа? 2. Чем прославился век Авгу­
ста? 3. Можете ли вы назвать годы жизни римского
императора Августа? 4. Что можно сказать о внутрен­
ней политике Августа? 5. Какую роль играла литера­
тура в период правления Августа? Справедливо ли
называть это время золотым веком римской литера­
туры? 6. Кто такой Меценат? 7. Кого из прославлен­
ных поэтов того времени вы можете назвать? 8. Что
вам известно о поэме «Энеида» и ее авторе? 9. Какое
время называют веком Августа в английской литера­
туре?

Balaam's ass
Валаамова ослица
The phrase Balaam’s ass is based on a passage
from the. Bible, which tells the story of Balaam, a proph­
et and soothsayer. Having heard of Balaam ’s efficacy
in benediction and in malediction, Balak, king of Moab,
sent emissaries to him with adequate payments and the
request to come to his kingdom and curse his eriemies.
Balaam, warned by God not to do so, yet went on his
ass with the emissaries to Balak.
When Balaam was on his way to Moab, God sent
a winged messenger armed with a sword to stop him.
On seeing the angel Balaam’s ass ran away into
a field. Balaam, who did not see the angel, angrily
smote his ass for her display of terror. After the third
beating the ass rebuked her master with the words:
What have I done to you? Why are you beat­
ing me?
In modern speech Balaam ’s ass denotes an obedient
and patient person who is made to suffer all manner
of trials and sorrows and whose patience suddenly
comes to an end giving way to protest against the in­
justice.
27

Pronunciation and stress:
Balaam ['beilaem], based [beist],
soothsayer
I'su:0,sei3], obedient [a'biidjant], Moab ['mouaeb], Balak
C'bselak], efficacy ['efikasi]
Notes:
INJUSTICE, UNJUST, etc. It sometimes happens that
instead of saying injustice, inequality, incivility stu ­
dents form nouns with the prefix un: unjustice, unequal­
ity, uncivility, automatically repeating the negative
prefix, used in the corresponding adjectives: unjust,
unequal, uncivil.
Translate info English:
Метафора валаамова ослица употребляется в со­
временной речи иронически в значении: молчаливый,
покорный человек, вдруг заговоривший, запротесто­
вавший. Выражение возникло из библейской легенды
о Валааме, ослица которого однажды заговорила че­
ловеческим голосом, протестуя против побоев.
.. . Валаам сел на свою верную ослицу и пустился
в путь. Тем временем бог послал ангела с обнажен-
йым мечом, чтобы тот преградил дорогу Валааму.
Ангела увидела только ослица. Она встала на дыбы,
а затем своротила с дороги и понеслась в поле. В а ­
лаам не понял в чем дело, пришел в ярость и при­
нял ся бить ослицу палкой. Тогда ослица спросила
Валаама: «Что я тебе сделала, что ты бьешь меня...?»
3. Косидовский, Библейские сказания
Baucis and Philemon
Филемон и Бавкида
Philemon and Baucis were an aged couple who
lived in a poor hut in Phrygia. As the legend goes,
once Jupiter and Mercury travelled in disguise over
Asia; they sought shelter for the night, but nobody
wanted to let the strangers in. Baucis and Philemon
entertained the gods hospitably, and Jupiter trans­
formed their dwelling into a splendid temple, of which
the old couple were made the priest and priestess, Hav­
28
L

■v>.
ing lived to extreme old age, they died in the same
hour, according to their request, and were changed into
the trees whose boughs intertwined. The story of Baucis
and Philemon is told by Ovid, the Roman poet, in his
Metamorphoses. Their names are a symbol of fond and
constant old couple.
Pronunciation and stress:
Baucis ['bo:sis], Philem on [fi'liimon], O vid ['ovid],
Jupiter ['d^u:pita], Mercury ['markjuri], Metamorphoses
[^meta'inoifouziz], Ph ry gia ['fridgta]
Do the following two-way translation:
Кто записал древнегреческий миф о Филемоне и
Бавкиде?
The legend is recorded in Ovid’s M et­
amorphoses.
Что вы знаете о «Метаморфозах» и их авторе?
Ovid was a Roman poet. Не was born in
43 В. С. and died in 18 A. D. His Metamor­
phoses а-re a poetical interpretation of clas­
sical myths.
Что символизируют имена Филемона и Бавкиды?
The names have become a synonym for a
devoted old couple.
За что Юпитер вознаградил Филемона и Б а в ­
киду?
They were rew arded for entertaining the
gods when every one else refused them hos­
pitality.
Почему никто другой не принял у себя Юпитера и
Меркурия?
The people there were inhospitable, and
as the gods were travelling in disguise, the
people took them for wayfarers.
Как были вознаграждены Филемон и Бавкида за
свое гостеприимство?
They were saved from a flood, and be­
came priest and priestess of the temple into
which the gods changed their old cottage.
When they grew very old, Jupiter turned
them into trees.
29

Встречаются ли подобные сюжеты в литературе
других народов?
Similar stories are given in the fairy-tales
of different countries, for instance, in the
Marchen of the Grimm brothers.
A Blue Beard
Синяя борода
(Bluebeard)
A Blue Beard is a brutal husband, a merciless ty­
rant. It is the name of a character in a popular tale
included in the collection by Charles Perrault, first
printed in 1697 as Mother Goose’s Tales,
The main character of Perrault’s story is a rich
castle lord. Soon after his m arriage he goes away. His
young wife is entrusted with all the keys of the castle,
but is forbidden on pain of death to open one special
room. During the absence of her lord the ‘forbidden
fruit’ is too tem pting to be resisted, the door is opened,
and the young wife finds the floor covered with the

dead bodies of her husband’s former wives. In terror
she drops the key, which becomes indelibly stained with
blood. Blue Beard, on his return, discovers that his wife
has disobeyed him and threatens to cut off her head.
But her brothers arrive in the nick of time, save their
sister’s life and put Blue Beard to death.
Pronunciation and stress:
Charles Perrault ['tja:lz 'perou], tyrant ['taiarant],
goose [gu:s], indelibly [in 'dehbh]
Notes:
TYRANT, TYRAN NY .Care should be taken to pronounce
['taiorant] bi../tiram ].
KEY TO THE DOOR. Remember the preposition to
which is mostly used in this phrase. The Russian stu­
dents of English are tempted to say key from the door,
that is, to give the close translation of the Russian
ключ от двери, which, though correct, is much- less
usual.
The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
1. Выражение синяя борода употребляется в зна­
чении: муж, зверски обращающийся с женой. 2. Вы­
ражение возникло из сказки о рыцаре Синяя Борода,
впервые напечатанной Перро в 1697 году. 3. В ней
рассказывается о кровожадном владельце замка, ко­
торый убил шесть своих жен за то, что они нарушили
его запрет и открыли дверь в комнату, служившую
для него местом убийств. 4. Только седьмая жена Си­
ней Бороды была спасена своими братьями, прибыв­
шими в замок как раз в тот момент, когда Синяя Бо­
рода собирался отрубить ей голову.
A blue stocking
Синий чулок
(Blue-stocking)
A blue stocking is used to describe a woman having
or affecting literary tastes and learning. The term
comes from the Blue Stocking Society, a name given in
31

18th century to the evening parties at the houses of
Mrs. Montagu, an English letter-writer and traveller,
and the ladies of her circle. These women attempted to
substitute for card-playing, which then formed the prin­
cipal recreation, more intellectual modes of spending
the time, including conversations on literary subjects
in which eminent men of letters and science often took
part. The meetings were nicknamed Blue Stocking So­
ciety, from the fact that the men attending might wear
the blue worsted stockings of ordinary day-time dress
instead of the black silk of evening.
Now a blue stocking is a derisive nickname for
a learned and very studious woman, a female ped­
ant.
Pronunciation and stress:
Montagu ['montagju:], recreation ^rekri'eijan], nick­
nam e ['mkneim], worsted ['wustid], derisive [di'raisiv],
learned [7b:m d], studious ['stju:djas]
Notes:
LEARNED. The adjective learned ['larmd] differs in
pronunciation from Participle II of to learn spelled in
the same way ‘learned’ ['Ia:nd].
W ORSTED. Be careful to pronounce it ['wustid], con­
trary to the reading rule.
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the questions and the statements.
1.
Синим чулком презрительно называют женщи­
ну, всецело поглощенную книжными, учеными интере­
сами. 2. Обычно считают, что выражение возникло в
Англии в середине XVIII века. 3. Оно обозначало л и­
тературный кружок, собиравшийся по вечерам у гос­
пожи Монтегю для бесед на .литературные и научные
темы. 4. Ученый Стиллингфлит, пренебрегая модой,
появился в этом салоне в синих шерстяных, а не в
шелковых чулках и получил прозвище синий чулок.
5. После этого литературный кружок стали называть
обществом синего чулка.
83

The bonds (ties) of Hymen
(Bonds of marriage)
Узы Гименея
In Greek and Roman mythology, Hymen is the name
of the god of marriage (the word itself means in Greek
‘a wedding hymn’). The expression the bonds (ties) of
Hymen is the synonym for marriage. The common le­
gend is that Hymen is the son of Apollo. No m arriage
took place without his sanctioning it. He was pictured
by the ancients as a handsome youth crowned with
flowers, holding in one hand the flame-coloured nuptial
veil destined to cover the bride, and in the other the
nuptial torch.
Pronunciation and stress:
Hym en
['haimen], Apollo [a'polou], destined
['destind], nuptial ['nApJal]
Make up questions in English to lhe following sentences and
using both the questions and the statements, conduct a two-way
translation: . J
1. В древнегреческом языке слово гименей означа­
ло и свадебную песню и божество бракосочетания.
2. В отличие от Эроса, бога любви, Гименей охранял
брак, санкционированный религией и законом, 3. Ги­
менея обычно изображают в виде красивого юноши с
факелом и свадебным покрывалом в руках. 4. Выра­
жение узы Гименея является синонимом супружества.
5. В повседневном употреблении выражение имеет
иронический оттенок.
Bread and circuses
Хлеба и зрелищ
The phrase bread and circuses is taken from a sat­
ire by Juvenal, a Roman satirical poet. During the
reign of Emperor Augustus it was the demand of the
Roman populace. The phrase is a translation loan of
the Latin Panem et circensesl (bread and circus
games!) The parties struggling for political influence in
Rome tried to canvass supporters among the poorest
but most numerous city population by arranging for
33

them feasts with free food and spectacular amusements,
the favourite amusement being circus games. But the
people did not care which party stood them free dinner,
and Juvenal in his satire castigates the Roman mob for
their indifference to politics.
Pronunciation and stress:
Juvenal ['djjuivml], Augustus [э/gAstas], satire
['saetaia], circuses ['sa:kasiz], populace ['popjulas],
emperor ['empara], canvass ['kaenvas], spectacular
[spek'tagkjula], c a stig a te ['kaestigeit]
Translate into English:
Выражение хлеба и зрелищ заимствовано из сати­
ры римского поэта Ювенала. Это был лозунг римской
черни при императоре Августе. Выражение является
калькой с латинского.
Buridan’s ass
Буриданов осел
The phrase Buridan’s ass is used to describe a man
of indecision. It derives from the name of Buridan, a
French scholastic philosopher of the 14th century. He is
now chiefly known through having his name attached
to an illustration he is said to have used in support
of his views, and known as Buridan’s ass. He is sup­
posed to have written in his commentary on one of
Aristotle’s works, “if a hungry ass were placed exactly
between two hay-stacks in every respect equal, it would
starve to death, because there would be no motive why
it should go to one rather than to the other.” This
illustration, however, is not found in any of his works.
Pronunciation and stress:
Bu ridan ['buridan], A ristotle ['aeristotl], scholastic
[ska'laestik], motive ['moutiv], com mentary ['komantari]
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the questions and the statements.
34

1. Выражение буриданов осел применяется для
обозначения нерешительного человека, неспособного
сделать выбор. 2. Выражение приписывается француз­
скому философу-схоласту XIV века Буридану. 3. В од­
ном из своих сочинений Б уридан якобы говорит о го­
лодном осле, который находится на одинаковом рас­
стоянии от двух вязанок сена. 4. Буридан утверждает,
что осел умрет с голоду, потому что у него не будет
причины предпочесть одну вязанку другой. 5. Однако
такого примера в сочинениях Буридана не обнару­
жено.
То burn one’s boats
Сжечь (свои) корабли
The phrase to burn one’s boats means to destroy
(or cut oneself off from) one’s means of escape, to act
so that there can be no question of retreat. The ancient
Greeks and Romans sometimes set fire to their boats
when they invaded a foreign country. By destroying
their means of retreat they strengthened their courage
for the assault. Armies were encouraged in this manner
by Agathocles, tyrant of Syracuse, in his expedition
against Carthage, North Africa (310—307 В. C .); by
the Emperor Julian in his expedition against Persia
(363 В. C.), etc.
He thought of his past, its cold splendour and
insouciance. But he knew that for him there was
no returning. His boats were burnt.
M. Beerbohm, Zuleika Dobson
Pronunciation and stress:
Agathocles [as'gasGaklirz], Julian ['dgurljan], C ar­
thage ['kaiBidft], Persia ['рэ:|э], assault [a'so:lt], emperor
['етрэгэ], tyrant ['taiarant], Syracuse ['saiarakju:z]
Notes:
DESTROY, DESTRUCTION. Following the rule of form­
ing nouns with the suffix -ion from verbs (of the type
dictate—dictation, translate—translation, etc.) students
Г
35

are frequently misled info using the form to destruct
instead of to destroy (by analogy with destruction)
which is non-existent in English.
MEANS. The noun has one form for singular and plu­
ral and may agree with either singular or plural verbs
according to the meaning. Cf: every means has been
tried and all possible means have been tried.
Do the following two-way translation:
Do you know the expression to burn one’s boats?
Да, конечно. Это значит сделать реши­
тельный шаг и отрезать пути к отступле­
нию.
How did it originate?
Рассказывают, что древние греки и рим­
ляне иногда сжигали свои корабли во вре­
мя захвата чужих земель.
Why on earth should they do it?
Таким образом они отрезали своей ар­
мии путь к отступлению.
I
see. In this way they hoped to strengthen their
courage for the assault.
Вот именно. Солдат ставили перед вы­
бором: победить или умереть.
Who was the first to use the words, I wonder? They
must have been recorded or else they would have been
lost.
О происхождении этого выражения су­
ществует несколько предположений. Воз­
можно, оно заимствовано у Плутарха. Он
рассказывает, что после падения Трои тро­
янские воины пытались спастись бегством,
но троянки сожгли корабли и тем помеша­
ли бегству своих мужей.
I’d like te know something about other versions as
well.
Многие связывают обычай сожжения ко­
раблей с именем сицилийского тирана Ага-
фокла, другие упоминают римского импера­
тора Юлиана. Так или иначе, в древности
это, видимо, было распространенным при­
емом.
I think, it’s cruel and inhuman practice.
36

To bury one’s talent
Зарыть талант в землю
A talent was an ancient monetary unit, a gold or
silver coin. The phrase to bury one’s talent is taken
from a Gospel parable. A slave buried in the ground
the money (a talent) given to him by his master. When
the man returned and asked the slave what he had
done with the money, the latter replied that he had
hidden the talent in the ground and had it quite safe.
The master reproached his slave for being lazy, adding
that he could have lent the money to the traders and
thus have made more money.
In the course of time the word talent changed its
meaning and came to denote the natural endowments
of man. To bury one’s talent means to disregard one’s
abilities and gifts, to make no use of them.
He considered that it was not at all a proper
place for me and declared that I should be foolish
in the extreme to bury myself and, he added, my
talents, in a remote West Highland glen.
A. J. Cronin, Adventures in Two Worlds
Pronunciation and stress:
Bury ['ben], parable ['paerabl], course [ko:s], endow­
ments [in'daumants]
Notes:
TALENT. Care should be taken to spell the word cor­
rectly. In careless writing, students often change e in­
to a through the association with the Russian word
талант.
BURY. Be sure to pronounce it ['ben] contrary to
the reading rule.
Do the following two-way translation:
Откуда возникло выражение зарыть талант a
зем лю ?.
The phrase is drawn from a Gospel par­
able about a slave and his master.
В притче, насколько я помню, слово талант имеет
значение отличное от современного.
37

You are right. There talent Ss used in Us
original meaning and denotes an ancient
monetary unit.
Как распорядился раб деньгами, полученными от
хозяина?
The slave secreted the talent in the
ground and on his master’s return said that
he had all his money safe.
Но хозяин, кажется, вовсе не стал благодарить или
хвалить его за бережливость, не так ли?
Just on the contrary. The master re­
proached the slave for being lazy.
А как, по мнению хозяина, раб должен был рас­
порядиться деньгами?
The m aster said that the slave could have
lent the money to the traders and thus could
have made more money.
С течением времени слово талант изменило свое
значение и стало синонимом природных способностей
человека.
And the expression to bury one’s talent
changed the meaning accordingly. Now it
m eans to disregard one’s abilities and gifts,
to make no use of them.
By (in) the sweat of one’s brow
В поте лица
To live by the sweat of one’s brow means to earn
one’s living by hard work. It is an allusion to the Bible
story of Adam and Eve and the fall of man. (See To
eat of the tree of knowledge.)
The actors rehearsed from nine to twelve, dined
and went to the theatre; they left it at seven;
and then, however tired, if important people
wanted them, the mayor, the judge or what not,
off they had to traipse and give a show. They
earned their bread in the sweat of their brows.
W. S-.
Maugham, Don Fernando
38

Pronunciation and stress:
Adain I'aedam], Eve [i:v], sw eat [swet]
Notes:
HARD, DIFFICULT . To be able to discriminatebetween
the two words, one should remember that hard means
‘not easy to perform, requiring efforts Difficult often
means ‘not easy to understand or deal with’, and usu­
ally implies the notion of complexity, e.g . difficult
question, difficult passage in a book, difficult design,
difficult writer. When the thing is both difficult to un ­
derstand and to do, either of the two may be used:
hard (difficult) language, hard (difficult) book.
Translate into English:
Выражение в поте лица употребляется в значении
‘усердно трудиться, тяжким трудом добывать хлеб’.
Оно возникло из библейской легенды о грехопадении
Адама и Евы. Изгоняя их из рая, бог проклял Адама,
сказав ему: «В поте лица твоего будешь добывать
хлеб свой».

Caesar’s wife
Жена Цезаря
The words Caesar's wife are used to describe a per­
son on whom even the shadow of suspicion must not
be allowed to fall.
Julius Caesar divorced his wife on the strength of
a rumour: her name w as often mentioned whenever
people talked about one of his men. He did not take
the trouble to enquire into the matter and establish the
correctness of the accusation. As Caesar’s own reputa­
tion in m atters of morality was not above reproach,
someone asked him why he had divorced his wife on
a mere suspicion. His reply was that it did not matter
for C aesar himself, but a woman who got herself talked
about was not fit to be Caesar’s wife; Caesar’s wife
must be above all suspicion.
This is a Trust Fund. Anything that it supports
must be Caesar’s wife. We both know that there
are some damn good unqualified people in this
job. But there are a lot of shockers too.
N. Balchin, Mine Own Executioner
It mattered little if a King’s passions ran away
with him, but a Queen, like Caesar’s wife, had to
be above suspicion.
J. E. Neale, Queen Elizabeth
40
>
/

Pronunciation and stress:
Julius Caesar ['dju.ijas 'si.'za], guilty ['gilti]
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation, using both
the questions and the statements.
1.
Выражение жена Цезаря употребляется шутли­
во в применении к людям, чья репутация должна
быть столь безупречна, что на них не может пасть
далее тень подозрения. 2. Выражение впервые было
употреблено Юлием Цезарем. 3. По слухам, в жену
Юлия Цезаря влюбился один из соратников Цезаря.
4. Цезарь немедленно разошелся со своей женой, хотя
его собственная репутация была далеко не безупреч­
ной. 5. Цезарь поступил так вовсе не потому, что счи­
тал свою жену виноватой. 6. Когда Цезарю задали
вопрос, почему он оставил свою жену по одному по­
дозрению в адюльтере, он ответил, что его собствен­
ная репутация в вопросах морали не имеет значения,
но жена его должна быть безупречной.
A caliph for a day
Калиф на час
A caliph for a day is a person who comes into
power for a short time only. (Caliph means representa­
tive of Mahomet. Many Sultans called themselves ca­
liphs.) The phrase is an allusion to oneof the Arabian
Tales. The story is told that a young man from Bagdad
invited to his house a stranger, unaware of his being
a caliph in disguise. The young man said that his
cherished dream was to become a caliph, though for
a day. The caliph gave him a sleeping drug and or­
dered his servants to treat the youth as if he were the
caliph. But the young m a n ’s happiness was short-lived.
At night he was given anolher dose of the sleeping
drug and on aw akening found himself in his old house.
Pronunciation and stress:
Arabian [a'reibjan], B agdad [baeg'daed], Mahomet
[ma'homit], caliph ['k shfj.
41

Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the questions and the statements.
1. Выражение калиф на час возникло из арабской
сказки, одной из сказок «Тысячи и одной ночи».
2. В этой сказке рассказывается о том, как молодой
багдадец приглашает к себе в гости незнакомца, не
подозревая, что перед ним калиф Гарун-аль -Рашид,
осматривающий город под видом купца. 3. Молодой
человек высказывает калифу свою заветную мечту,
хоть на один день стать калифом. 4. Гарун-аль -Рашид
подсыпает ему в вино снотворный порошок и прика­
зывает перенести его во дворец. 5. Во дворце юноше
оказывают почести, подобающие калифу, и это убе­
ждает его в том, что его мечта сбылась. 6. Однако
заблуждение было недолгим: вечером молодой чело­
век снова получает вино со снотворным порошком и
просыпается наутро в своем собственном доме. 7. Вы­
ражение калиф на час употребляется, когда речь идет
о человеке, ставшем могущественным или знамени­
тым только на короткое время.
Castor and Pollux
Кастор и Поллукс
(Dioscuri)
(Диоскуры)
The names of Castor and Pollux have become a syn­
onym for two inseparable friends. In classical mythol­
ogy, they were the twin sons of Jupiter and Leda, who
were hatched from an egg. Castor and Pollux were
also known as Dioscuri — sons of god. The twins were
inseparable and became renowned for their athletic abil­
ities, Castor for horsemanship and Pollux for boxing.
When C astor was slain, Pollux did not wish to outlive-
his brother and refused immortality in which Castor
had no share. Touched by such devotion, Jupiter allowed
them to remain together alternately in the heavens and-
in the nether world. Later he transformed them into
a constellation called Gemini (meaning in Latin
‘twins’).
In art the twins are represented as two youths,
42

usually horsemen, holding spears. They wear egg-
shaped helmets, symbolic of their origin, and are
crowned with stars.
Pronunciation and stress:
Castor ['ka:sta], Pollux ['pobks], Jupiter ['dguipita].
Dioscuri [,daias'kju:ri], athletic [aeQ'letikj, ne ther ['neto],
Led a fliida], Gemini ['djemrni:]
The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
1. В классической мифологии Кастор и Поллукс —
сыновья Юпитера, близнецы. 2. Братья славились
своей неразрывной дружбой. 3. Когда Кастор был
убит, Поллукс отказался от бессмертия и стал умо­
лять Юпитера, чтобы он дал ему возможность уме­
реть. 4. Юпитер предложил ему вместе с братом про­
водить один день на Олимпе среди богов, другой —
в подземном царстве Аида. 5. Позже Юпитер превра­
тил их в созвездие Близнецов. 8. Имена Каетора и
Поллукса стали синонимом двух неразлучных друзей.
То cast pearls before swine
Метать бисер перед свиньями
The Gospel expression to cast pearls before swine
means to do, to offer, or to give something good to
someone who is incapable of appreciating it, or who

may defile or abuse it. The phrase comes from the Ser­
mon on the Mount: “Give not that which is holy unto
the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest
they trample them under their feet.”
I
don’t think I could confess to a little man in
thick glasses. Pearls before swine.
N. Balchin, Mine Own Executioner
Pronunciation and stress:
appreciate [a'prhjieit], abuse (v) [a'bjuiz]
Notes:
OFFER, SUGGEST . Both verbs have the same Russian
equivalent, probably for that reason Russian students
of English are often unable to discriminate between
them. It should be borne in mind that one who offers
is prepared to perform, whereas to suggest does not
necessarily imply this. To offer m eans ‘to be ready to
give’, e. g. to offer a book, to offer one’s help. To sug­
gest is ‘to put forward for consideration, propose’, e. g.
to suggest a plan.
Translate into English:
Выражение метать бисер перед свиньями заимство­
вано из евангелия: «Не давайте святыни псам и не
бросайте бисера вашего пер,ед свиньями, чтобы они
не попрали его ногами своими». Выражение обычно
употребляется в значении ‘не тратьте слов на р аз­
говоры с людьми, которые не могут вас понять’.
То cast the first stone
Бросить первый камень
То cast the first stone means to take the initiative
to make an attack, or bring an accusation. The expres­
sion derives from a dram atic story told in the Gospel.
The Pharisees sought to compromise Jesus before his
listeners by showing that he did not keep the laws
and customs of their forefathers. So one day when
Jesus was teaching in a temple,' %e Pharisees brought
to him a woman taken in adultery and asked him what
they should do to her. They did not forget to point out
44

that according to an ancient custom the sinners were
punished by casting stones at them. Jesus was in a
difficult position; on the one hand he could not afford
to be seen breaking openly the ancient law, on the
other hand, he taught that every man should love his
neighbour as himself and forgive those who offend him,
and that cruel practice of stoning did not agree with
his doctrine. He played for time; pretending he had not
heard the question, he stooped down and began w rit­
ing something on the ground with his finger. The Phar­
isees, however, insisted that he should answer them,
so he stood up and said, “He that is without sin among
you, let him first cast a stone at her.” And ag ain he
stooped down and wrote on the ground. The Pharisees
left the temple one by one; they could not honestly call
themselves “without sin”, knowing their own faults and
weaknesses. Jesus lifted up his head and saw that the
temple was empty except for the woman; he asked her
where her accusers were. On hearing that no m an had
condemned her, Jesus said: “Neither do I condemn you;
go, and sin no more.”
He had succeeded better than most men in
modifying those ideals to fit the world of facts, and
if love had been modified into sympathy and sym­
pathy into compromise, let one of his contempo­
raries cast the first stone.
E. M. Forster, Collected Short Stories
Pronufldation and stress:
Pharisee ['faerisi:], Jesus ['djiizas], initiative
[/m Jiativ]
Translate into English:
Выражение бросить первый камень связано с обы­
чаем, существовавшем в древней Иудее — побивать
грешника камнями. Выражение возникло из еванге­
лия: «Кто из вас без греха, первый брось в нее ка-
мень$, сказал Иисус фарисеям, которые привели к
нему женщину, уличенную в прелюбодеянии. Никто из
фарисеев не отважился бросить камень первым; со­
весть подсказывала им, что сами они далеко не без­
упречны и не имеют права судить других.
45

To cherish as the apple of one’s eye
Беречь как зеницу ока
The apple of one’s eye is something very precious
to one, that which is especially prized. Apple is prob­
ably the corruption of pupil which is round like an
apple. (Compare the Russian: глазное яблоко.) The
pupil is regarded as the most sensitive and precious
part of the eye. The phrase appears in Psalms: “Keep
me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow
of thy wings.” To cherish as the apple of one’s eye
means to treat with the greatest care possible some­
thing which is very precious.
George was the apple of his father’s eye. He
did not like Harry, his second son, so well.
'
W. S. Maugham, The Alien Corn
Did the Law not know that a man’s name was
to him the apple of his eye, that it was far harder
to be regarded as cuckold than as seducer?
J. Galsworthy, In Chancery
Win had looked forward to the child: boy or
girl, she cared nothing; it was to have been her
eye’s apple, her heart’s core, her dandling, her
nestle-chick, her doted dear; later, their hope and
pride.
R. Macaulay, I Would Be Private
Notes:
ESPECIALLY, SPECIALLY . The confusion of these two
words will be avoided if the following is borne in mind:
especially is used in combination with adjectives (some­
times with adverbs and participles) and means ‘excep­
tionally’: an especially cold winter, something espe­
cially valuable. In other combinations especially means
‘particularly’: I like this place, especially in summer.
Specially is used to modify verbs and m eans ‘with an
intention’, ‘on purpose’: I came here specially to speak
to you.
PSALM . Care should be taken to pronounce it fso:m].
In words of Greek origin beginning with the letters PS
the first letter is usually mute: psychiatry [sai'kaiatn],

psych ology
[sai'kobd^i],
Psyche ['saiki]. In Russian
both the first and the second
letters are pronounced.
Translate the following ques­
tions into English and supply the
answers:
1. В каком значении упо­
требляется выражение бе­
речь как зеницу ока? 2. Чем
можно объяснить, что сло­
ва зеница ока стали упо­
требляться для обозначения
чего-либо, имеющего очень
большую ценность? 3. От­
куда заимствовано выраже­
ние?
Colossus on the feet of clay
Колосс на глиняных ногах
The phrase colossus on
the feet of clay is used to
describe som ething
weak
which, however, looks power­
ful and frightening. It comes from the Bible story
about Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. In his
dream the king saw a colossus with the head of gold,
the arms of silver and the hips of copper, only his feet
were of clay. A huge rock rolling from the mountain
47

hit the feet of Colossus and caused him to fall. The
prophets said that Nebuchadnezzar’s empire of Chaldea
was doomed to fall.
One, at least, we now know of the great dis­
ciples of Theodore, one of that great band of Mis­
sionaries, who completed and made sure of the
conversion of our country to Christianity, had feet
of clay.
A. Wilson, Anglo-Saxon Attitudes
It is not surp rising that to the rigid classicists
of the eighteenth century this Colossus (Moliere)
had feet of clay. But, after all, even clay has a
merit of its own: it is the substance of the com­
mon earth.
L. Strachey, Landmarks in French Literature
Pronunciation and stress:
Nebuchadnezzar ^nebjukad'neza], Babylon ['baebibn],
Chaldea [kael'di(:)3j, colossus [ka'bsas], empire ['empaia]
Render the following text in English:
Выражение колосс на глиняных ногах употреб­
л яется, когда речь идет о чем-нибудь величественном
и мощном с виду, но по существу слабом и непроч­
ном. По библейскому сказанию, вавилонский царь
Навуходоносор увидел во сне огромного металличе­
ского истукана на глиняных ногах. Камень, оторвав­
шийся от горы, ударил в глиняные ноги истукана и
разбил их, истукан рухнул. Прорицатели сказали ца­
рю, что сон этот предвещает падение его царства.
The Confusion of Babylon Вавилонское столпотворение
As the legend has it, three hundred years after the
Flood, the descendants of Noah, journeying from the
East as nomads in one huge caravan, came to the great
plains of Babylonia, and set* ч1 there. But not content
with building themselves a city, they decided to con­
struct a tower so high that its top should reach up to
heaven. This they did in order to make a name for
48

themselves: and also to prevent the citizens from being
scattered all over the face of the earth. For when any
had wandered from the city and lost his way on the
boundless plain, he would look up and see from afar
the outline of the tall tower standing up dark against
the bright sky. So he would find his bearings, and
guided by the landm ark would retrace his steps home­
ward.
But the people failed to reckon with the jealousy
and power of the Almighty. For while they were build­
ing away with all their might and main, God came
down from heaven to see the city and the tower which
men were raising so fast. The sight displeased him.
Apparently he feared that when the tower reached the
sky, men would swarm up it and beard him in his den.
So he resolved to nip the great project in the bud.
Down he went and confounded their language so that
they could not understand one another’s speech, and
had to separate into little groups where the same
tongue could be spoken.
Therefore they stopped building, and the name of
the place was called Babel, that is, confusion, because
God did there confound the language of all the earth.
The words Confusion of Babylon have come to de­
note an uproar. The Tower of Babel is a synonym for
a lofty structure; it often refers to a visionary scheme.
Pronunciation and stress:
Noah ['noua], Babylonia ^baebi'lounja], Babylon
['baebilan], Babel ['beibal], nom ad ['nomad], descendant
[di'send ant], edifice ['edifis]
Notes:
ONE ANOTHER and EACH OTHER have practically
ceased to be distinguished and are both used with
regard to two or more people.
The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story ir
English.
I. Сначала населяющие землю люди говорили на
одном языке. 2. Они занимали равнину в бассейне рек
Тигра и Евфрата. 3. Земля там была необыкновенно
плодородная, так что им жилось все лучше и лучше.
0 Hi М. Эльяыова
49

4. Они возгордились и решили построить такую высо­
кую башню, чтобы верхушка ее доставала до самого
неба. 5. Башня росла все выше, пока бог не встрево­
жился и не решил посмотреть, что она собой пред­
ставляет. 6. Человеческая гордыня вызвала его гнев,
и он смешал языки, чтобы люди не могли между со­
бой договориться. 7. Среди строителей башни возник­
ло замешательство, они вынуждены были отказаться
от своего замысла и рассеялись по всему свету. 8. Го­
род, где возводили башню и где произошло смешение
языков человеческих, назвали Вавилон.
Render the following text in English:
Вавилонское столпотворение
Один из них сказал:
—
Давайте сотворим столп во славу божию!
Каждый приносил камень и складывал в общую
кучу. И увидел бог, что это хорошо.
—
Мне это нравится, — сказал он своим арханге­
лам. — Я сам в молодости шесть дней работал на
строительстве, так что я могу понять рабочего ч ело­
века.
Люди взялись дружно, и вскоре столп прибли­
зился к небу.
—
А на небе-то пусто, никого нет! И бога нет!
А мы, дураки, старались!
Бог обиделся.
—
Вы слышите? — сказал он архангелам.
—
Они
говорят, что меня нет. Разве это правда? Скажите, вы
меня давно знаете.
Архангелы жили на небе, пили нектар и амброзию,
поэтому они верили в бога. Вернее, они верили в бо ­
га, и поэтому пили нектар и амброзию.
—
Вездесущий! — сказали архангелы.
—
Ну, видите! А они что твердят в один голос?
Нет, видно, придется смешать им языки, чтобы у них
не было такого единогласия!
Бог так и сделал, и люди сразу перестали пони­
мать друг друга. Каждый вытащил из кучи свой ка ­
мень и спрятал его себе за пазуху. И увидел бог, что
это хорошо.
50

—
Ну, теперь у них пойдет дело, — сказал он. —
Что у нас дальше на повестке дня? Кажется, Содом
и Гоморра?
Ф. Кривин, Божественные истории
The corner-stone
Краеугольный камень
The corner-stone is the stone which lies at the corner
of two walls, and unites them; hence, it is used figura­
tively to denote something of great importance, an in­
dispensable part. Traditionally it was a ceremonial
building block, usually placed ritually in the outer wall
of a buiding to commemorate dedication; it sometimes
had a date or other inscriptions. Early customs connect­
ed with corner-stones were related to study of the stars
and their religious significance. Buildings were laid out
with astronomical precision in relation to points of
the compass, with emphasis on corners. Corner-stones
symbolized “seeds” from which buildings would germi­
nate and rise. Until the development of modern con ­
struction, the stone w as usually at a corner, possibly
as the first of the foundation stones, and a real sup­
port. From this practice arose figures of speech in
many languages referring to the corner-stones, or foun­
dation stones, of character, doctrine, faith, etc. Various
religious rituals and Bible references spread and per­
petuated the use of the expression. Today the stone
need not be a support, nor at a corner, nor even in the
foundation, but the expression is used quite often m eta­
phorically.
Pronunciation and stress:
doctrine ['doktrin], perpetuate [pa'petjueit], indispen­
sable [,indis'pens3blj,
ritually ['ritjualr], com mem ­
orate [ka'memareit], germinate ['dsaimineit], compass
['кл трэв], emphasis ['emfasis]
Notes:
FOUNDATION. When asked to give the verb from
which foundation is derived, students frequently invent
the verb to foundate by analogy with to dictate, to
translate, etc.
3*
51

ARISE, RISE . In modern speech to arise and to rise
are no longer synonymous. Arise in the meaning of
‘rise’ has fallen out of use and become archaic. How­
ever, in literature arise is still used m eaning ‘to begin’:
a storm arose. In a figurative sense arise is used in
such sentences as: A problem has arisen; The question
arises whether we should accept their proposition.
The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
1. Выражение краеугольный камень взято из биб­
лии и в современном языке употребляется в значении
‘основа, главная идея’. 2. Возникновение выражения
связа но с ранней техникой постройки зданий, когда
так называемый краеугольный камень закладывался
в угол наружной стены. 3. На камне иногда делались
цадписи, ставилась дата начала строительства. 4. Счи­
талось, что такой камень является опорой всего зда ­
ния, «семенем, из которого здание произрастает».
5. Впоследствии краеугольный камень перестал играть
роль опоры и приобрел чисто символическое значе­
ние. 6. Упоминание краеугольного камня в библии и
различные религиозные обряды, связанные с закл ад­
кой краеугольного камня, в значительной степени спо­
собствовали распространению в различных языках
этого выражения, где крае_/^}льный камень является
синонимом основы, обозначает неотъемлемую часть
чего-либо.
I
Crocodile tears
Крокодиловы слезы
Crocodile tears are hypocritical tears or a hypocrit­
ical show of grief. The phrase is applied to a person
who falsely puts on an appearance of grief. The origin
of the phrase was the fabulous belief that crocodiles
wept in order to attract their victims to the spot, or
even shed tears over their prey while in the act of
devouring it. In fact crocodiles do shed tears while
swallowing their prey, but they do it for purely biolo­
gical reasons.
52

Pronunciation and stress:
Crocodile ['krakadail], devour [di'vaua], fabulous
['faebjutos]
Translate into English:
Давно стало нарицательным выражение крокоди­
ловы слезы. Говорят так о лицемерном человеке, при­
творно скорбящем о товарище, которому он причинил
зло. Что же касается крокодила, то принято считать,
будто никаких слез он вовсе и не льет. Это, дескать,
миф, поэтический вымысел.
Недавно шведские ученые Рагнар Фанге и Кнут
Шмидт-Нильсон решили все-таки проверить, плачут ли
крокодилы.
И оказалось, что крокодилы и в самом деле про­
ливают обильные слезы. Но не из жалости, конечно,
от избытка не чувств, а... солей.
Почки пресмыкающихся животных (reptiles) —
несовершенный инструмент. В помощь им, для уда ­
ления из организма избытка солей, у рептилий
53

развились особые железы, которые помогают почкам.
Железы, выделяющие растворы солей, у крокодила
расположены у самых глаз. Когда они работают
в полную силу, кажется, будто свирепый хищник пла­
чет горькими слезами.
И. Акимушкин, С утра до вечера
То Cross the Rubicon
Перейти Рубикон
То cross the Rubicon means to take a final, irrev­
ocable step which may have dangerous consequences.
It arises from the phrase said to have been used by
Julius Caesar, a famous Roman general, statesman and
writer of the 1st century В. C.
The Rubicon was a small stream in northern Kaly
which separated Cisalpine Gaul, the province of which
Caesar was the governor, from Italy proper. His polit­
ical rivals at Rome had passed a law ordering him to
disband his army. Caesar marched to the river and
stood at the bank undecided whether to cross it and
thereby precipitate civil war. Then, d rawing his sword
and exclaiming, “The die is cast” he dashed across the
river and was followed by his whole army. Since then
the expression has become a proverb. When anyone has
actually begun a hazardous enterprise from which he
cannot draw back, they say, “He has crossed the Ru­
bicon.”
Having crossed the Rubicon, Caesar started the civil
war against the Roman Senate; six months later he
made himself master of the whole of Italy.
During her mother’s breathless outbreak at
Stephen Lumley standing courteous and surprised
before her, she had crossed her Rubicon. And now
with flaring words she burnt her boats.
R. Macaulay, dangerous Ages
The young m an now appeared to have crossed,
as it were, some Rubicon is his mind and was
speaking more fluently.
R. Warner, The Professor
54

“ Let’s look at Poppet’s pictures and forget the
war. Now that,” he said, pausing before the Aphro­
dite, “ that I consider good. The moustache... it
shows you have crossed one of the artistic rubi-
cons and feel strong enough to be facetious.”
E. Waugh, Put out More Flags
Pronunciation and stress:
Rubicon ['ru:bik3n], Julius Caesar ['d^udjas 'si:za],
irrevocable [/revakabl], disband [dis'baend], precipitate
[pri'sipiteit], Cisalpine G au l [sis'aelpain 'дэ:1]
Notes:
WHOLE, ALL; (a) A WHOLE, THE WHOLE, ALL differ in
that a whole means ‘undivided, entire’: they cooked a
whole sheep for their meal. The whole and all are syn­
onyms, both imply that the object is made up of parts.
The whole emphasizes the presence of all the parts
without exception; all, of every indi-vidual part or com ­
ponent. Cf.: It rained all the week (it rained on Mon*
day, on Tuesday, etc.). It rained the whole week (all
the days of the week without exception). It rained a
whole week (the entire period from Monday to Sun­
day).
(b) THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE OF. With proper nouns
only the whole of, not the whole is used: the whole of
Asia.
SOUTH, SOUTHERN. Take care to pronounce these
words correctly. The adjective ['влЭап], unlike the noun
[sau0], has no diphthong.
BOUNDARY, BORDER, FRONTIER. A boundary is a line
separating one area from another: the Urals form a
boundary between Europe and Asia. Border and fron­
tier may denote both a line that divides two countries
or states, and an area near the line. Border usually
denotes the land on both sides of the boundary; fron­
tier, on one only: the Soviet-Rumanian border, but
France’s Italian frontier.
HISTORIAN, HISTORIC. The Russian историк is ren­
dered in English by the word historian, not historic. Be­
ware of the fact lest your false association might let you
down.
55

Make up questions in English to which the following R ussian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the questions and the statements.
1. Выражение перейти Рубикон употребляется в
значении: сделать решительный шаг. 2. Выражение
заимствовано из рассказов Плутарха и других древ­
них писателей о переходе Юлия Цезаря через Руби­
кон. 3. Маленькая речка Рубикон служила границей
между Италией и Цизальпинской Галлией. 4. Полу­
чив в управление Цизальпинскую Галлию, Юлий Це­
з ар ь по собственной инициативе и против воли Сената
завоевал
также
всю Трансальпийскую Галлию.
5. У Цезаря было около пяти тысяч солдат. 6. Получив
распоряжение Сената распустить легионы и явиться
в Рим, Цезарь после некоторого колебания не только
не подчинился приказу, но перешел Рубикон и вступил
в открытый конфликт с Сенатом. 7. Цезарь решил за ­
хватить Сенат врасплох, надеясь обеспечить себе этим
победу. 8. Ночью, тайно Цезарь со своим войском пе­
ресек Рубикон. 9. Он захватил ключевые позиции и
разгромил армию Сената. 10. В результате победы
Цезарь стал диктатором Рима.

aJ?n
Danaides’ work
Бочка Данаид
The phrase Danaides' work denotes futile and end­
less work. D anaus, in Greek mythology, was the ruler
of Libya. He had fifty daughters. His brother had fifty
sons whom he wanted to marry Danaus’s daughters.
But Danaus did not give his consent to his daughters’
m arriage because the oracle had foretold that he would
be killed by his son-in-law. The brother of Danaus
enraged at the refusal, drove Danaus out of his country.
Danaus fled with his fifty daughters, the Danaides, to
Argos, the home of his ancestress Io. The fifty sons of
his brother followed him, and sought the hands of his
daughters in marriage. Danaus consented, but on the
bridal night he gave his daughters each a dagger, and
urged them to murder their bridegrooms in revenge for
the treatment he had received from their father. All did
so, except one, who allowed her husband to escape. The
furious king threw his daughter into prison, but the
prophecy of the oracle came true: Danaus was killed
by the son-in-law who had remained alive. The fable
states that in the underworld the Danaides were
compelled, as a punishment for their crimes, to pour
water for ever into a bottomless vessel.

Pronunciation and stress:
Danaides [da'nendhz], D anaus [dae'neias], Libya
['libia], Arg os ['argos], oracle ['orakl], Io ['aiouj, futile
l'fju:tail]
Notes:
WORK. The peculiarity of the noun is that in the
m eaning of labour it is subject to some limitations: it
is not used in the plural and does not usually take the
indefinite article. If it denotes a book, a picture, a piece
of music, etc., it can take an article or the ending -s
when necessary: a work of art, the works of Shake­
speare.
FOLLOW. This is a transitive verb and takes a non-
prepositional object. Influenced by their mother tongue,
the Russian students of English are misled into saying
‘follow after’ by analogy with the Russian следовать за.
55

Данаиды в греческой мифологии — пятьдесят до­
черей царя Ливии Даная, враждовавшего со своим
братом, сыновья которого хотели взять в жены доче­
рей Даная. Но отец не хотел выдавать их замуж, по­
тому что оракул предрек, что он погибнет от руки
своего зятя. Построив корабль, Данай с дочерьми
тайно уехал из своей страны. Но племянники, пресле­
дуя Даная, принудили его выдать за них Данаид. Д а ­
най тайно приказал своим дочерям умертвить мужей
в первую же ночь. Только одна из Данаид не послу­
шалась отца и пощадила своего мужа. Разгневавшись
на непокорную дочь, Д анай приказал бросить ее в тем­
ницу.
Сорок девять Данаид за свое преступление были
осуждены богами: после смерти они должны были в
подземном царстве Аида наполнять водой огромный
бездонный сосуд.
Render the following text in English:
A deadly sin
Смертный грех
The phrase a deadly sin arose fтот the Gospel. In
scholastic teaching systematized by Thomas Aquinas a
deadly sin was classified as a serious transgression of
the divine law, committed with deliberation, and giving
rise to others. There was no way of redeeming a deadly
sin, and the sinner was caused to suffer perpetual pun­
ishment for it. The traditional catalogue of the seven
deadly sins was: pride, w rath, avarice, envy, idleness,
lust and gluttony, the latter usually included drunken­
ness. In the course of time, however, the phrase lost its
religious significance and came to be used ironically
to denote a moral offence.
Pronunciation and stress:
Thomas Aquinas ['tomas a'kwamses], catalogue
['kaetabg], avarice ['aevaris]
Render the text in English:
Выражение смертный грех заимствовано из еван­
гелия. Смертный грех в религиозных представле-
59

ниях — грех, который нельзя искупить, он влечет за
собой вечную муку. В схоластической догматике
смертных грехов считалось семь: зависть, скупость,
прелюбодеяние, чревоугодие, гордыня, леность и гнев.
В современном языке выражения смертный грех и
семь смертных грехов утратили прежнее религиозное
значение и употребляются иронически.
The die is cast
Жребий брошен
The words The die is cast mean the decision is taken
and one cannot draw back, for one’s fate is irrevocably
settled. The metaphor comes from playing dice, a game
of chance.
The words are ascribed to Julius Caesar at the Ru­
bicon. Plutarch tells us in his Life of Caesar that, when
Caesar came to the fateful stream, he stood for a long
time in silence, “ computing how many calamities his
p'assing that river would bring upon mankind” . But
finally “with a sort of passion... uttering the phrase
with which men usually prelude their plunge into des­
perate and daring fortunes, “Let the die be cast”, he
hastened to cross the river.”
(See also: To cross the
Rubicon)
“We must do something about it. Haven’t you
any plan? Are there no steps you can take?”
“Yes, yes. You’re right, of course. The die is
cast. Steps shall be taken. In fact not a moment
shall be lost...”
C. Isherwood, Mr. Norris Changes Trains
Out in the street he swore deeply, quietly to
himself. A spider’s web, and to cut it he must use
this spidery, secret, unclean method, so utterly
repugnant to one who regarded his private life as
his most sacred piece of property. But the die was
cast, he could not go back.
J. Galsworthy, In Chancery
GO

Pronunciation and stress;
Julius Caesar ['djuljas 'si:zg], Rubicon ['ru:bikan],
Plutarch ['plu:ta:k], irrevocably [l'revsksbli], m ankind
[maen'kaind]
Make up questions in English to which the Following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the questions and the statements.
1. Смысл выражения жребий брошен — конец ко­
лебаниям, сомнениям, нерешительности; судьба беспо­
воротно решена. 2. Эти слова приписываются Юлию
Цезарю. 3. Юлий Цезарь, живший в первом веке до
нашей эры, был знаменитым полководцем, политиче­
ским деятелем и писателем. 4. Цезарь произнес слова
«Жребий брошен» перед переходом его войск через
реку Рубикон. 5. Это произошло в 49 году до нашей
эры. 6. Переход Цезаря через Рубикон положил нача­
ло гражданской войне.
Divide and rule
Разделяй и властвуй
(Divide and govern)
The formula Divide and rule means divide a nation
into parties, or set your enemies at loggerheads, and
you can have your own way. There is no universal opin­
ion as to the source of the formula. It was known as
one of the guiding foreign policy principles of the Ro­
man emperors. Some ascribe the words to Philip of
Macedonia. Others say it was a maxim of Machiavelli,
a notorious Florentine statesman and political writer.
The formula is often quoted in Latin: Divide et
impera.
Pronunciation and stress:
Philip ['filip], Macedonia ^maesi'dounja], Machiavelli
^maekia'veh], Florentine ['florantain], senate ['semt]
The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
1. Разделяй и властвуй — формула, которой руко­
водствовался еще римский сенат. 2. Формула выра­
жает реакционный принцип государственной власти,
61

согласно которому лучший метод управления много­
национальным
государством — разжигание
нацио­
нальной розни между народами. 3. Эта формула часто
цитируется по латыни: divide et impera. 4. Автор фор­
мулы в точности неизвестен. 5. Часто эти слова припи­
сывают Макиавелли, итальянскому политическому
деятелю и историку.
A dog in the manger
Собака на сене
The metaphor a dog in the manger is used to de­
scribe a churlish person who refuses to let another enjoy
what he himself has no use for. The allusion is to
Aesop’s well-known fable of the dog that, though it
had no use for the hay in the manger, growled at the
horses and would not let them eat it.
There you are; the dog in the manger! You
won’t let him discuss your affairs, and you are
annoyed when he talks about his own,
W. Cather, The Professor’s House
62

“We were only m arried three years, and that
was quite enough for me, a regular cat-and-dog
life that was. If she wanted ... to go out, I wanted
to stay in . .. Well, that’s all right, isn’t it? If she
wants to go out, let her go out ... Ar, but that’s
a man’s point of view
.
Had she the same fair*
minded attitude, the same broad principles?” Mr.
Benenden here removed his pipe to make room for
a short bitter laugh. “When she wanted to go out,
I’d to go out too, and when she wanted to stay in,
I’d to stay in as well. That was her idea. Dog in
the manger, she was,-all the time, and specially
on Saturdays and Sundays, just when you wanted
a bit of give and take.”
J. B. Priestley, Angel Pavement
You told me the other day that you weren’t
going to write anything about him yourself. It
would be rather like a dog in a manger to keep
to yourself a whole lot of material that you have
no intention of using.
W. S. Maugham, Cakes and Ale
Pronunciation and stress:
Aesop ['i:sop], m anger ['meindja], growl ['graul].
use(n) [ju:s]
Notes:
USE (v), USED , USEFUL, USELESS , USE(n). The pas!
form of the verb to use is pronounced [ju:zd]: I used
oil for frying. When immediately followed by the par­
ticle to plus Infinitive, the form used (m e an ing ‘to be
accustomed to, to be in the habit of, to have as one’s
constant or frequent practice’) is to be pronounced
[ju :st]: That's where I used to live. The adjective used
in the sense of ‘accustomed to, familiar with’ is also
pronounced [ju:st]: Soldiers are used to danger. Re­
member the correct pronunciation of useful ['ju:sful]
and useless ['ju:slis]. Be sure to pronounce the noun
‘u se ’ correctly [jursj.
65

A doubting Thomas
Фома неверный (неверующий)
The phrase a doubting Thomas denotes a sceptic, a
person who is not easy to convince. The story of the
doubting Thomas appears, in the Gospel. Thomas, one
of the Twelve Apostles, doubted the fact of the resur­
rection of Christ after the crucifiction. When told about
it by Christ’s disciples, he said to them: “Except
I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put
my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my
hand into his side, I will not believe!”
Pronunciation and stress:
Thomas the Doubter ['tomas Эа 'dauta], Christ
[kraist], apostle [a'posl], resurrection [,-reza'rekJan],
disciple [di'saipl], sceptic ['skeptik]
Notes:
THOMAS. In some proper names beginning with th
the combination th is pronounced [t] contrary to the
rule: Thomas, Thames, Thailand, Theresa, Thompson,
etc.
Draconian(ic) laws(code)
Драконы (драконовские) законы (меры)
Draconian laws are extremely harsh and cruel laws.
The laws are called after Draco, an Athenian law-giver
of the 7th century В. C. Draco devised a code of laws,
which were so severe that, as a Greek orator said, they
were written in human blood. Every violation of a law
was made in this code a capital offence. Idleness, as
well as murder, was punished with death, and when
Draco was asked to give his reason for this, he replied
that even the smallest crimes deserved death, and there
could be no higher punishment for the greater ones.
Pronunciation and stress:
Draco ['dreikou], D raconian [drei'kounjan], Athenian
[a'Oimjan]

Notes:
HUMAN, HUMANE. Care should betaken not to use
human instead of humane. Human ['hju:man] means
‘belonging to, or characteristic of, mankind’ (contrasted
with anim als), as a human being, human nature, hu­
man affairs. Humane [hju/mein] means ‘compassionate,
treating other human beings and animals with kind­
n ess’, as a man of humane character, humane treat*
ment of animals.
Do the following two-way translation:
Скажите, что такое Драконовы законы? Они имеют
какое-нибудь отношение к сказочному чудовищу?
Oh, no. The Draconian laws are called
after Draco. The mythical dragon has noth"
ing to do with them, as far as I know.
Видимо, Дракон был законодателем. И давно он
жил?
Не lived in the 7th century before our era.
Ну, конечно, опять древняя история, мое уязвимое
место. Наверно, Ассирия или Вавилония?
No, Draco was an Athenian law-giver. He
lived in Athens, one of the foremost cities of
Greece.
И чем же особенным отличались его законы? По­
чему он так прославился?
It was notoriety that he earned, not fame.
His laws were extremely harsh and cruel.
He made every crime a capital offence. The
laws set terrible penalties even for the small­
est crimes.
Dragon’s teeth
Зубы дракона
Dragon’s teeth are causes of civil strife; whatever
rouses people to rise in arms. The allusion is to the
fierce dragon that guarded the well of Ares, and whose
teeth sown by Cadmus are said to have sprung into
armed men.
Cadmus, a hero of an ancient myth, was commanded
by an oracle to follow the cow that he would see on his

way from the temple and to build a city at the place
where the cow wouid lie down. Cadmus did as he was
told and came to a well guarded by a dragon. He slew
the dragon, and sowed some of the teeth in the earth.
From these teeth sprang up armed men. Cadmus flung
stones among them. The armed men attacked each oth­
er, and were all killed except five, who helped Cadmus
to found the town of Thebes. The tale of Jason is the
repetition of that of Cadmus. In the tale of Jason, we
are told that, h aving slain the dragon which kept watch
over the golden fleece, he sowed its teeth in the ground,
and armed men sprang up, ready to attack him. Jason
cast a stone into the midst of them; whereupon, the men
attacked each other, and were all slain. Hence, to sow
dragon’s teeth means to stir up civil strife: to lay the
seeds of future trouble.
By insisting on a fiercer religious persecution
than ever, at the beginning of a new age that need­
ed above all else religious toleration, Parliament
sowed dragon’s teeth, destined to spring up in the
plots, factions and violences.
G. M. Trevelyan, H istory of England
Pronunciation and stress:
Cadmus ['kasdmas], Ares ['earhz], Thebes [0i:bz]i
Jason ['djeisn], dragon ['draegan], oracle ['orakl]
Notes:
EXCEPT, BESIDES. The two words having one and the
same Russian equivalent кроме are to be distinguished:
except means with the exception of, not including; be­
sides, in addition to. Cf.: they come to school every day
except Sunday and there were three younger children in
the family besides him.
Render the following text in English:
Когда Зевс под видом быка похитил Европу,
Кадм отправился на поиски сестры. Долго странство­
вал он по свету, всюду расспрашивая о Европе. Нако-
66

нец, потеряв надежду найти сестру и опасаясь вер­
нуться домой, решил Кадм навсегда остаться на чуж­
бине. Он отправился в Дельфы и вопросил там ора­
кула бога Аполлона, в какой стране поселиться ему и
основать город. Так ответил оракул Аполлона:
—
На уединенной поляне увидишь ты корову. С ле­
дуй за ней, и там, где ляжет она на траву, воздвигни
город, а страну назови Беотия.
Лишь только вышел Кадм за ворота, как увидел
белоснежную корову, которая паслась на поляне. Кадм
пошел за ней со своими верными слугами. Вдруг оста­
новилась корова, подняла голову к небу, громко з а ­
мычала и спокойно легла на зеленую траву.
Кадм остановился и решил принести жертву Зевсу.
Слугн Кадма отправились за водой для жертвоприно­
шения. Однако, когда они подошли к источнику, по­
явился громадный дракон и бросился на них. Погибли
слуги Кадма.
Пошел Кадм по их следам и вскоре увидел растер­
занные тела своих верных слуг. Схватил Кадм камень
величиной со скалу и бросил его в дракона, но невре­
димым остался дракон. Тогда, собрав всю свою силу,
Кадм вонзил копье в спину чудовища и пригвоздил
его к дубу. Тогда явилась Кадму дочь Зевса Афина-
Паллада. Она велела ему вырвать зубы дракона и
посеять их как семена в поле.
Едва посеял Кадм зубы дракона, как из земли по­
казались сначала острия копий, затем головы воинов
со щитами, наконец вырос из зубов дракона целый от­
р яд вооруженных воинов.
Страшная, кровавая битва началась между вои­
нами. Они разили друг друга мечами и копьями и па­
дали один за другим на только что породившую их
землю. Их оставалось уже только пятеро. Тогда один
из них по повелению Афины-Паллады бросил на зем­
лю свое оружие в знак мира. Заключили воины тесную
братскую дружбу. Эти воины, рожденные из зубов
дракона, были помощниками Кадма при основании
города Фивы.
Н. А. Кун, Легенды и мифы Древней Греции

To eat of the tree of knowledge
Вкушать от древа познания
The first book of the Old Testament opens with an
account of the creation of the world by God and the
origin of sin in the serpent’s temptation of Adam
through his wife. It contains a narrative of the blissful
life of Adam and Eve in the happy Garden of Eden.
There every tree that was pleasant to the sight and good
for food grew abundantly. There the anim als lived at
peace with man and with each other. There man and
woman knew no shame, because they knew no ill. It was
the age of innocence. But this glad time was short, the
sunshine was soon clouded. The sad story is told of the
fall of Adam and Eve, their loss of innocence, their ex­
pulsion from Eden, and the doom of labour, of sorrow,
and of death pronounced on them and their posterity.
In the midst of the garden grew the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, and God had forbidden
man to eat of its fruit saying “In the day that thou
eatest thereof thou shall surely die” . But the serpent
was cunning, and the woman weak and credulous: he
persuaded her to eat of the fatal fruit, and she gave
of it to her husband. No sooner had they tasted it than
68

the eyes of both of them were opened, they knew that
they were naked, and filled with shame and confusion
they hid their nakedness under aprons of fig-leaves: the
age of innocence was gone for ever.
That woeful day God walked into the garden, as his
custom was, in the cool of the evening. Adam and Eve
hid behind the trees, ashamed to be seen by him na­
ked. But he called them forth from the thicket, and
learning from the abashed couple how they had diso­
beyed his command by eating of the tree of knowledge,
he flew into a towering passion. He cursed the serpent,
condemning him to go on his belly, to eat dust, and to
be the enemy of mankind all the days of his life. He
cursed the ground, condemning it to bring forth thorns
and thistles. He cursed the woman, condemning her to
bear children in sorrow and to be in subjection to her
husband. He cursed the man, condemning him to wring
his daily bread from the ground in the sweat of his
brow, and finally to return to the dust out of which he
had been taken.
Having relieved his feelings by these maledictions,
the irascible deity relented so far as to make coats of
skins for the culprits to replace their scanty aprons of
fig-leaves, and clad in these new garments the shame­
faced pair retreated among the trees, and the shadows
deepened on Paradise Lost.
In modern speech the words to eat or taste of the
tree of knowledge mean to acquire knowledge, and are
used mostly ironically.
Even knowledge concerning sex is dangerous
and must be kept in secret. It is indeed the tree of
the knowledge of good and evil, the forbidden tree
whose fruit brought about the fall of man from
his state of innocence.
R. M. Maclver, The Pursuit of Happiness
Pronunciation and stress:
Ed en [7i:dn], A dam ['aedam], Eve [i:v], evil ['i:vl],
Paradise ['paeradais], posterity [pos'terrtf], credulous
'kredjulas], n arrative ['naerativ], naked ['neikid], apron
'eipran], thistle [0isl], sw eat [swet], deity ['di:iti],
irascible [/rsesiblj
69

KNOWLEDGE. The noun h as no plural and corre­
sponds in Russian to both знание and знания.
MANKIND. Be careful to stress the second syllable
when you mean the human race, the first syllable is
to be stressed to denote the male sex, men only (con­
trasted with women). The noun mankind, is used with­
out an article.
EAT OF, EAT. Eat of semantically differs from eat and
means ‘take a small bit, taste’.
Render the following text in English:
..
. Бог разрешил Адаму вкушать плоды со всех
деревьев, за исключением дерева познания добра и
зла, к плодам которого он запретил прикасаться под
угрозой смерти... Среди зверей, которых создал бог,
наибольшей хитростшо отличался змей. Однажды он
спросил у женщины, почему бог запретил им есть пло­
ды с дерева познания добра и зла. И женщина отве­
тила на это: «Чтобы мы не умерли». «Вы ни в коем
случае не умрете», — уверял ее змей и доказывал,
что бог не велит им есть плоды с этого дерева, опа­
саясь, что у людей откроются глаза и они познают
добро и зло так же, как и сам бог. Женщина внима­
тельно посмотрела на дерево познания добра и зла
и увидела, как прекрасно оно и его плоды, дающие
мудрость. И она сорвала запретный плод, съела его,
а потом уговорила мужа, чтобы он последовал ее при­
меру. .. Бог выгнал Адама и Еву из рая, ибо не хотел
Допустить, чтобы они съели плоды с дерева жизни и
таким путем обрели бессмертие.
3. Косидовский, Библейские сказания
Notes:
The end justifies the means
Цель оправдывает средства
The end justifies the means was the motto of the
Jesuits, a militant catholic order. The order of the
Jesuits was founded by Ignatius Loyola with the aim
of defending the Roman Catholic Church against
70

opposition and propag ating its faith among the heathen.
The order has a very strict organization, it is governed
by a “General” responsible only to the Pope; its mem­
bers are learned men, rigorously trained and bound to
poverty, chastity and obedience. The Jesuits became
very powerful politically in the 17th century.
The order of the Jesuits justified any means of at-
taining a political end, including homicide, fraud, es­
pionage. It continues its activity in our days as one of
the religious orders of the Vatican. The actual words
The end justifies the means probably belong to Machia-
velli, a Flo ren tine political philosopher, au thor of
a famous and influential treatise on statecraft The
Prince (1513) advocating the principle that any political
means, however unscrupulous, are justifiable if they
strengthen the power of a State.
In the modern language the words mean ‘a good
purpose may justify wrongdoing’.
We do not commonly hold in private life that
ends justify means. Why should they be held to
justify means in Press life?
J. Galsworthy, Castles in Spain
The end cannot justify the means, for the sim­
ple and obvious reason that the means employed
determine the nature of the ends produced.
A. Huxley, Ends and Means
Pronunciation and stress:
Ignatius Loyola [ig'neijjas
bi'oula],
chastity
['tfasstiti], jesuit ['djezjuit], V atican ['vastikan], homi­
cide ['homisaid], espionage [,espia'na:5], M achiavelli
[дпагкю'уеЬ], Florentine ['fbrenta m], treatise ['trirtiz]
Note s:
CATHOLIC. Be sure to stress the first syllable
I'kaeBahk]. In ca reless speech the stress is often shifted
to the second syllable, probably by analogy with the
Russian word католик.
Translate into English:
«Цель оправдывает средства» — девиз Ордена ие­
зуитов. Орден иезуитов был основан Л ойолой в
71

1534 году для защиты интересов римской церкви во
времена Реформации. Мораль иезуитов оправдывала
любые средства для достижения поставленной цели,
вплоть до убийства. Сходные мысли высказывал
итальянский писатель и политический деятель М акиа­
велли в трактате «Государь».
The Eternal City
Вечный город
In classic literature Rome is often called the Eternal
City, probably because it has played an important part
in human history for more than two thousand years.
It reached its greatest glory in ancient times, when it
became the centre of one of the world’s mightiest em­
pires.
The Romans believed that their State was founded by
the Trojan hero Aeneas, son of Venus, who escaped after
the fall of Troy, and after long wandering reached the
Tiber where he became king of the Latins. In Virgil’s
Aeneid, relating the story of Aeneas, Jupiter tells Venus
that he would give an eternal empire to the Romans.
The phrase in the form of Eternal Rome was first used
in literature by Tibullus, a Roman poet of the 1st cen­
tury B. C.
Pronunciation and stress:
Virgil ['vardsil], Trojan ['troudgan], Aeneas [i'ni:aes],
Aeneid ['i:nnd], Jupiter [ 'd ^p ita ], Venus ['vimasj,
Tibullu s [ti'bAbsJ, Tiber ['taibs], em pire ['empaia]
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the questions and the statements.
1. Вечный
город — наименование Рима,
часто
встречающееся в мировой литературе. 2. Римляне счи­
тали, что город их основал троянский герой Эней, сын
богини Венеры. 3. Странствия и приключения Энея
описаны Виргилием в его поэме «Энеида». 4. Само вы­
ражение Вечный город восходит к одной из элегий
римского поэта Тибулла. 5. Это название сохранилось
за Римом и позднее.

A fig-leaf
Фиговый листок
A fig-leaf is used to denote a device for concealing
what is indecorous 01 shameful. It appears in the Bible
narrative of the fall of man. (See: To eat of the tree of
knowledge.) The term was spread and preserved from
being forgotten due to the fact that in the period from
the 16th to the 18th centuries the sculptors always ap­
plied a fig-leaf in depicting a naked body, for the real­
istic representation of nakedness was considered sin ­
ful by the church.
73

Pronunciation and stress:
Narrative ['nasrativ], naked ['neikid], indecorous
[in'd ekaras]
Notes:
n arrative. Remember that the word is pronounced
['naerativ]. Students sometimes mispronounce it by anal­
ogy with the noun narration.
The flight of Icarus
Полет Икара
The phrase the flight of Icarus is a synonym for a
daring but fruitless exploit. It comes from a legend of
ancient Greece. King Minos of Crete had in his service
a skilful workm an, architect and sculptor named Dae­
dalus, who built for him a labyrinth. Soon afterward he
lost the royal favour and was thrown into the labyrinth
with his young son Icarus. He made his escape, but
could not leave the island, as the king had all depart­
ing vessels watched. He decided to make wings for
himself and his son. He took a quantity of feathers and
secured them w ith wax. When all was ready for the
flight Daedalus warned his son not to fly too low, as the
damp would clog the feathers, nor too high, as the sun
would melt the wax. But Icarus was young and impa­
tient to fly faster and higher than his father would per­
mit. Exulting in his power, he soared upward as if to
reach the heavens. The blazing sun softened the wax
and Icarus was drowned in the sea.
The myth is related by Ovid, an ancient Roman poet,
in his Metamorphoses.
Pronunciation and stress:
Icarus ['aikaras], Minos ['mainos], Crete [kri:t],
Daedalus ['di:dalas|, Ovid ['ovid], labyrinth ['lasbarinS],
wax [waeks], exult [ig'zAlt], drown [draun], Metamor­
phoses [/meta'mo.’fouziz]
74

EXPLOIT. Mind the pronunciation of the verb to ex­
ploit [iks'ploit] and the noun exploit ['eksploit]. There
is a number of suchlike pairs of words in English that
appeared as a result of root-formation, and equally
shift their stress: to attribute [a'tribju:t]— attribute
['aetribju:t]; to object [ab 'djekt] —object ['o bdjikt]; to
transport [traens'pD:t] —transport ftrasnspo:t]; to record
[ri'ko:d] —record ['reko:d].
ARCHITECT. The word is often misrepresented by
Russian students of English in translating the Russian
word архитектор. They tend to add to the word archi­
tect the suffix -or by analogy with the Russian equiva­
lent.
The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
1. Икар — в греческих мифах сын искусного меха­
ника, зодчего и скульптора Дедала. 2. Чтобы спастись
от критского царя Миноса, Дедал сделал для себя и
для сына крылья из птичьих перьев, скрепленных вос­
ком. 3. Несмотря на предостережения отца, Икар в
полете поднялся слишком высоко и приблизился к
солнцу. 4. Солнечные лучи растопили воск, и Икар
утонул в море. 5. Отсюда возникло выражение полет
Икара, употребляемое в значении: смелые, но тщетные
дерзания.
Translate the following text into English:
Дедал и Икар
—
Кто такой Икар?
—
Это сын Дедала. Того, что изобрел крылья.
Мудрый человек был Дедал. Он знал, что нельзя опу­
скаться слишком низко и нельзя подниматься слиш­
ком высоко. Он советовал держаться середины.
Но сын не послушал его. Он полетел к солнцу и
растопил свои крылья. Он плохо кончил, бедный ИкарИ
А Дедал все летит. Он летит по всем правилам,
не низко и не высоко, умело держась середины. Куда
он летит? Зач ем? Это никому не приходит в голову.
Многие даже не знают, что он летит — мудрый Дедал,
Notes:
.
75

сумевший на много веков* сохранить свои кры лья...
Дедал... Дедал ...
—
А, собственно, кто такой Д едал ?
—
Это отец Икара . Того, что полетел к солнцу.
Ф. Кривин, Божественные истории
The Flying Dutchman
Летучий голландец
The Flying Dutchman is the name of a phantom
ship said to be seen in stormy weather off the Cape of
Good Hope, and thought to forebode ill luck. The legend
has it that the ship is doomed never to enter a port on
account of a murder committed on board; another ver­
sion is that the captain, a Dutchman, homeward bound,
met with long-continued head winds off the Cape; but
swore he would round the Cape and not go back, if he
strove till the day of doom. He was taken at his word,
and there he still is, but never succeeds in rounding the
point. He sometimes hails passing vessels and requests
them to take letters home from him. The legend is sup­
posed to have originated at the sight of some ship re­
flected from the clouds. It has been made the ground­
work of a novel by Frederick Marryat The Phantom
Ship and of W ag ner’s opera Der Fliegende Hollander.
In modern speech the phrase is used to describe per­
m anent wanderers, and also, ironically, restless people.
Pronunciation and stress:
Frederick Marryat ['fredrik 'maeriat], Wagner
['va:gna], phantom ['fsentam], legend ['led^and]
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the questions and the statements.
1, Выражение летучий голландец восходит к ле­
генде о моряке, поклявшемся обогнуть на своем ко­
рабле мыс Доброй Надежды, хотя бы ему на это по­
требовалась вечность. 2. С тех пор корабль-призрак
обречен на вечное плавание вдали от берегов. 3. Л е­
генда о корабле-призраке получила распространение
76

в художественной литературе. 4. Знаменитый немец­
кий композитор Рихард Вагнер написал на этот сюжет
оперу «Летучий голландец».
The forbidden fruit
Запретный плод
The phrase the forbidden fruit denotes anything cov­
eted because it is prohibited or unattainable. It is an
allusion to the fall of Adam and Eve in defiance of
God’s command in the Garden of Eden. (See: To eat of
the tree of knowledge).
Pronunciation and stress:
Adam ['aedam], Eve [i:v], Eden [i:dn], covet ['kAvit]
Render the text in English:
Выражение запретный плод употребляется в значе­
нии: что-нибудь очень желанное, но запрещенное или
недоступное. Оно возникло из библейского мифа о др е ­
ве познания добра и зла, плоды которого бог запретил
есть Адаму и Еве.

The Golden Age
Золотой век
The Golden Age, in Greek and Roman poetry, was
the first and best age of the world, in which mankind
was ideally prosperous and happy. The expression comes
from Works and Days, a poem by Hesiod, a Greek
poet of 8th century В. C. Hesiod describes four princi­
pal periods in the history of mankind: the Golden Age,
the time when happiness was universal, people had
everything they wanted, and Justice reigned supreme;
the Silver Age, when m an ’s childhood continued for a
hundred years, but when grown, people soon perished
by the will of Zeus, for they were too proud and did
not sacrifice to the gods; the Bronze Age (or Copper
Age), when people lived in houses of bronze, had
bronze arms and armour, started wars among them­
selves and thus all perished; the age in which the poet
himself was living he called ‘The Iron Age’. The myth
of the four generations was taken up by other Greek
writers and also borrowed by the Romans; Ovid dealt
with it in his Metamorphoses.
Metaphorically, the Golden Age is the most flourish­
ing period, e. g. the Golden Age of Latin poetry, Gold­
78

en Age of Reason, etc. In ancient Greece, the Golden
Age is usually ascribed to the reign of Pericles (460—■
429 В. C .); in Rome, to the reign of Augustus (17 В. C.—
A. D. 14); in England, to that of Elizabeth I (1558—
1603). (See also: Augustan Age, Periclean Age.)
Pronunciation and stress:
Mankind [masn'kaind], Hesiod ['hiisiod], Zeus [zju:s],
Ovid ['avid], Metamorphoses [,meb'mD:fouziz], Pericles
['perikli:z]
Render the following in English:
Представление греков о золотом веке наиболее по-'
дробно отразилось в поэме Гесиода «Труды и дни».
Людей золотого века, по Гесиоду, создали боги, когда
на небе властвовал, еще Крон (или Хронос), отец Зев­
са. Люди не знали ни горя, ни трудов, ни старости.
Они проводили жизнь в пирах и умирали, как будто
засыпая. Земля сама давала обильный урожай, люди
владели многочисленными стадами и трудились лишь
столько, сколько хотели... За золотым веком следовал
серебряный. .. Затем медный... Свой век Гесиод назы­
вает железным. Боги не дают людям передышки от
трудов и несчастий, жизнь коротка, дети рождаются
стариками, царят раздоры; на земле правит не закон,
а сила; исчезает стыд; от зла вскоре не будет спасе­
ния. Человечество идет к гибели: Зевс истребит и это
поколение...
Изложение этого мифа в «Метаморфозах» Овидия
несколько отличается от рассказа Гесиода. В описа­
нии золотого века Овидий подчеркивает отсутствие тех
черт римского быта, которые были особенно нена­
вистны в эпоху становления империи: не было судей и
законов, люди не знали страха перед наказаниями и
казнями; не было наемных войск и города не обноси­
лись стенами; никто не нуждался в пище, так как реки
текли молоком и нектаром, а мед струился с дубов ...
Рисуя язвы современного ему железного века, Ови­
дий назы вает в их числе и частную собственность на
землю.
Мифологический словарь, сост. М . Ботвинник и цр.
-
79

Мысль о золотом веке сродни всем народам и до-
называет только, что люди никогда не довольны на­
стоящим и, по опыту имея мало надежды на будущее,
украшают невозвратимое минувшее всеми цветами
воображения.
А. С. Пушкин, История села Горюхина
The Golden Fleece
Золотое руно
The story goes that Apharnans, king of Beotia, had
two children by his first wife Nephela, a cloud nymph;
then he deserted her and married Ino, a Theban prin­
cess. Nephela left Beotia never to return, and there was
drought in the country. Ino hated her stepchildren and
thought of a way to get rid of them. She made Apha-
m ans believe, by ruse, that the curse of drought over
Beotia would be revoked if Phryxos, his son, were sacri­
ficed upon the altar of great gods. But just when eve­
rything was ready for the sacrifice, Nephela sent a cloud
bearing a w-onderful ram with golden fleece, The ram
took the children upon his back and flew from Greece
to Colchis. Little girl H ella fell off into the sea (hence
the name of Hellespont, that is, Sea of Hella), but Phry­
xos came safely to Colchis. Here the ram w as sacrificed
to Zeus, and its golden fleece was hung up in the grove
of the war-god, nailed to a sacred tree and guarded by
a dragon.
Some time later, the following events took place in
Greece: prince Jason, disinherited by his uncle, King
Pelias, came to Iolcus to claim his kingdom. The cun ­
n ing Pelias promised to abdicate in his favour as soon
as the hero brought the Golden Fleece from overseas
to Iolcus. Jason ordered a vessel to be built, and start­
ed collecting the crew. The most celebrated heroes of
the age were anxious to participate in the expedition,
am ong them Hercules, Orpheus, Castor and Pollux, etc.
They were fifty all in all. The ship was called Argo,
and those sailing in it came to be known as Argonauts.
The journey was long and dangerous; in Colchis, the
enchantress Medea, the King’s daughter, helped Jason
to secure the Golden Fleece.
80

The myth of the Golden Fleece was first related by
Pindar, a Greek lyric poet. Many Greek poets appear
to have taken p articular delight in making it the theme
of their songs. The words the Golden Fleece are used
to denote something precious or very highly prized that
one is eager to take possession of.
Pronunciation and stress:
Argonauts ['a:g3no:ts], Colchis ['kolkis], Jason
[djeisn], Pelias ['pi:liaes], Iolcus [l'olkas], H ella ['hela],
Medea [mi'dia], Phryxos f'friksos], Argo ['a:gou], Pind ar
['pinda], hero ['hiarou], fab ulou s ['fasbjulas], Orpheus
['o:fju:sj, dragon ['draegan], Aphamans ['aefamans],
Beotia [bi'osia], Nephela [ne 'fi:b], Ino ['inou]
Notes:
HERO,HEROINE,heroic, heroism. These words are
often mispronounced. Be careful to pronounce them
['hiarou I'herouin | hi'rouik| 'herouizam].
HANG. The two past forms of the verb, hung and
hanged, are not to be interchanged: hung is the past
form of to hang meaning to fix, or be fixed in a hang­
ing position; hanged refers only to capital punishment,
i.e.isused asthepastformoftohang—toputto
death.
Render the text in English:
В древнегреческих мифах рассказывается, что ге­
рой Язон отправился на восточное побережье Черного
моря, в Колхиду добывать золотое руно, которое ви­
село на священном дереве в роще бога войны и охра­
нялось драконом. Язон построил корабль Арго, по
имени которого участники похода были названы арго­
навтами. Язон преодолел все препятствия и завладел
золотым руном. Этот миф был изложен древнегрече­
ским поэтом Пиндаром и впоследствии послужил те­
мой многих поэтических произведений. З олотым ру­
ном назы ваю т богатство или что-либо очень ценное,
чем стремятся овладеть.
4 Н. М. Эльянова
31

The Gordian knot
Гордиев узел
The words the Gordian knot are used to denote a
great difficulty, an almost insoluble problem. The allu­
sion is to a story about Gordius, a peasant in ancient
Phrygia, and Alexander the Great of Macedonia.
An oracle declared that disturbances in Phrygia
would be ended by a waggon. So when Gordius was go­
ing past the temple of Jupiter in his waggon, he was
chosen king. The peasant-king dedicated his waggon to
Jupiter, placed it in the god’s temple and fastened it to
a beam with a rope so ingeniously knotted that no one
could untie it. Later Alexander in his conquests came
to Phrygia. He was told that whoever untied the knot
would reign over the whole empire of Asia. To inspire
his army with confidence and to frighten his enemies
into the belief that he was born to conquer, he cut the
knot with his sword, saying, ‘It is thus wre loose our
knots. ’ Hence, to cut the Gordian knot means to find
the way out of a difficulty, to solve a complicated prac­
tical problem by quick and drastic action.
.
I decided that the melancholy of Mrs. Cox was
not due to jealousy, that she might even be grate­
ful to Miss Shoemaker if that lady succeeded in
loosening Mr. Cox’s Gordian knot.
R. Aldington, Soft Answers
The work of the poet John Gower (1325—1408)
is perhaps the most perfect illustration of the lan­
guage dilemma of the fourteenth century writer.
No less than three languages were at his dispo­
sal: Latin, French and English. ‘Moral Gower’ cut
the Gordian knot by writing in all three of them.
V. Grove, The Language Bar
Pronunciation and stress:
Gordian ['go:djgn], Gordius ['go:djas], Phrygia
['fridjia], Alexander Laelig'zccnda], Macedonia [,msesi-
'dounjg], Jupiter ['dgu.-pita], knot [not], insoluble
[in'soljubl], oracle ['orakl], ing eniou sly [in 'djiinjssli],
co nq ue st ['korjkwest], em pire ['empaia], sw ord [so:d],
drastic fdrsestikj
82

Notes :
ARRIVE IN, AT. To arrive in is used with regard to
bigger towns and cities whereas to arrive at is applied
to smaller towns and villages. The common error made
by the students lies in the use of the preposition to
with the verb to arrive, which probably results from
their being familiar with to as a preposition of direction.
INGENIOUS, INGENUOUS. The two adjectives are fre­
quently confused, probably through similarity of their
spelling and pronunciation. Remember that ingenious
[in'djimjas] means clever and skilful; ingenuous
[in'djenjuas] is synonymous with frank, sincere: Нот
ingenious of him to think of that device! The boy w as
too ingenuous to equivocate.
Render the text in English:
По легенде, рассказанной древними историками,
оракул повелел фригийцам избрать царем того, кто
первый встретится им с телегой по дороге к храму
Юпитера. Так простой земледелец Гордий был из­
бран царем. Гордий поставил свою телегу в храме
Юпитера и привязал ее таким запутанным узлом, что
никто не мог развязать его. Царь Александр Македон­
ский, заняв Фригию, увидел в храме повозку Гордия
с ее удивительным Гордиевым узлом. Он спросил жи­
телей, что означает этот узел. Жители ответили ему:
«Оракул предсказал, что тот, кто распутает гордиев
узел, станет властелином всей Азии». Александр вы­
нул меч и разрубил гордиев узел. Отсюда возникло
выражение гордиев узел, означающее: запутанное
сплетение обстоятельств. Разрубить гордиев у зе л з н а ­
чит разрешить сложное, запутанное дело быстро и ре­
шительно.
A Greek gift
Дар ы данайцев
(the Trojan horse)
A Greek gift or the Trojan horse is used to denote
a treacherous gift; a gift that brings evil instead of
good. It is an allusion to the wooden horse, by means
of which Troy was betrayed.
4*
83

After a siege of ten years, during which many fierce
battles were fought, and the best and bravest of both
armies slain, Troy was taken by the Greeks and burnt
to the ground. The poets suppose that the Greeks (Da-
naos) made themselves masters of the city by strata­
gem. Their account is, that a large wooden horse was
erected, filled secretly with armed men and placed at
the gates of the besieged city. Then all the other Greek
soldiers got into their boats and pretended to row away,
as if returning home. The curiosity of the Trojans got
the better of them, so they went outside and drew the
wooden horse within the walls of the city. In the night,
the Greek soldiers crept out and took the Trojans by
surprise, while the main army, which had made a pre­
tence of going away, came back and joined in the bat­
tle. Troy was soon in flames. Most of the citizens per­
ished by the sword, or were carried into captivity, some
fled for their lives.
The story is told by Homer in the Odyssey, and
followed by Virgil, the Latin poet in the great poem
Aeneid.
Aunt Ursula knew Oswald well enough to be
a little suspicious of his Greek gifts, but could
not help being flattered by his attention.
R. Aldington, Soft Answers
Pronunciation and stress:
Trojan ['troud^an], Troy ['troi], Homer ['houma],
Virgil ['va.’djil], Aeneid ['i:nnd], Odyssey ['odisi], tre a ch ­
erous ['tretjaras], evil ['i:vl], stratagem ['strsetidjam].
sword [so:d]
Notes:
IN THE NIGHT, AT NIGHT, BY NIGHT, ON THE NIGHT
OF. All these phrasesmean ‘during the night’. A certain
difficulty in the use of the phrases is caused by the a r­
ticle which appears only in the first and the last of the
four phrases. Besides, these two phrases somewhat dif­
fer in the shade of meaning: in the night means ‘when
it becomes dark, under the cover of darkness’ and is
used mainly in the Bible quotation like a thief in the
night (русск. «яко тать в нощи»); on the night of de­
notes a- particular night, as in on the night of the first

of January. The opposite ot at night is in the daytime,
the opposite of by night is by day.
JOIN, JOIN IN. To join means ‘to associate oneself
with something’ (an institution, a company, etc.), e. g.
to join a club, to join the army, and is somewhat more
static than to join in, meaning ‘to take part in’; e. g.
to join in the battle, to join in the work, etc. The phrase
to join battle had a fixed meaning to begin fighting.
The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
1.
Выражение дары данайцев означает: дары, под­
несенные с предательским умыслом. 2. Они таят в себе
опасность или гибель для тех, кому они предназна­
чены. 3. История этого выражения такова. 4. Долго и
безуспешно вели греки (данайцы) осаду Трои. 5. В кон­
це концов они решили прибегнуть к военной хитрости.
6. Они соорудили огромного деревянного коня — будто
бы в знак окончания войны. 7. Греки оставили дере­
вянного коня у стен Трои, а сами сделали вид, что воз­
вращаются домой. 8. Троянцы, движимые любопыт­
ством, втащили коня в свой город. 9. Ночью воины-
данайцы, спрятавшиеся внутри деревянного коня, вы­
шли и ворвались в Трою. 10. Троя была захвачена и
разрушена. 11. Рассказ об этом эпизоде Троянской
войны можно прочесть у Г омера в его «Одиссее» и
в поэме Вергилия «Энеида»,

To hang by a thread
Висеть на волоске
(See Sword of Damocles)
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Висячие сады Вавилона
(сады Семирамиды)
The H anging Gardens of Babylon were considered
by the ancient world to be among the wonders of the
world. Their construction is usually ascribed to Nebu­
chadnezzar, the king of Chaldea. The legend has it that
the king built the gardens for his favourite wife who
came to the flat plains of Babylon from a hilly land.
The gardens formed a square with an area of nearly
four acres, and rose in terraces, supported by arches, to
a height of 75 feet. They were irrigated from a reservoir
built at the top, to which water was lifted from the
Euphrates. Groves of palm trees and tree-ferns were
planted there, and the gardens were filled with the fin­
est flowers of the land.
86

In 323 В. С. Alexander the Great with his victorious
Iroops entered Babylon. He intended to round the Ara­
bian peninsula and make his way to Egypt and then
to Europe. But he never left Babylon. He died in the
Hanging Gardens built by the Chaldean king.
Later the building of the gardens came to be attrib­
uted to Semiramis, the mythical Queen of Assyria, a
woman of great beauty and wisdom, the reputed found­
er of Babylon and m any other cities.
Pronunciation and stress:
Babylon ['bsebibn], Semiramis [se'miramis], Nebu­
chad nezzar [,nebjukad'nez3], Chaldea [kael'di(:)9], Euph­
rates [ju:'freiti:z], acre ['eika], terrace ['teras], height
[hait], reservo ir ['rezavwa:], p alm [pa:m], A ssyria [s'siria]
Notes:
ARCH, ARC, ARK. Russian students of English easily
associate these words with the Russian арка. In fact,
only arch is used in this meaning. Arc is a geometrical
term denoting a part of a curved line, and ark is used
to describe the vessel in which Noah was saved during
the Flood. Now it is also the name of a toy for children
m ade in imitation of Noah’s ark.
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation, using both
the questions and the statements.
1. Висячие сады Вавилона, или сады Семирамиды,
считались в древнем мире одним из семи чудес света.
2. Сады были разбиты на террасах, поддерживаемых
арками и колоннами. 3. В садах были рощи, в которых
росли редкие цветы и великолепные деревья и расте­
ния. 4. Сады возвышались над равниной на высоте
75 футов и на расстоянии напоминали огромную пира­
миду, поросшую деревьями. 5. Создание висячих садов
приписывается халдейскому царю Навуходоносору,
желавшему доставить удовольствие своей любимой
жене, скучавшей по своей родине, далекой горной
стране. 6. Нередко висячие сады приписываются асси­
рийской царице Семирамиде, считающейся основатель­
ницей Вавилона.
87

Hannibal’s vow
Ганнибалова клятва
Hannibal’s vow is a firm and unshakable decision.
The phrase comes from the name of Hannibal, a famous
Carthaginian general, a renowned commander of his
time. When Hannibal was a ten-year old boy, his father
made him swear a solemn oath to fight to the end
against Rome which had turned Carthage into a colony.
All his life Hannibal'fought against the Romans and
many a time gained a brilliant victory over his enemies.
In 202 В. C. Hannibal’s troops were defeated by the
Roman army commanded by Scipio. Unable to con­
tinue the fight, Hannibal took his own life.
Pronunciation and stress:
Hannibal ['haembal], C arthaginian [,ка:0э/d^iman],
Scipio ['sipiou], vow [vau], renowned [ri'naund], solemn
['sobrnj
Translate into English:
Древние историки рассказывают, что, когда Ганни­
бал был ребенком, его отец, отправляясь в поход про­
тив римлян, заставил десятилетнего сына дать торже­
ственную клятву в том, что он всю свою жизнь будет
бороться против Рима, превратившего Карфаген в
свою колонию. С тав полководцем, Г аннибал боролся
с. римлянами и не раз одерживал над ними победы.
Но в 202 году до н. э. войска Ганнибала были раз­
биты армией римского полководца Сципиона. Убедив­
шись в невозможности продолжать борьбу, Ганнибал
покончил ж изнь самоубийством.
The heel of Achilles
Ахиллесова пята
(Achilles’ heel)
The phrase the heel of Achilles is used to describe a
weak or vulnerable spot. The metaphor is drawn from
mythology. Achilles, the hero of Homer’s epic poem the
Iliad was the most famous of the Greek heroes in the
Trojan War. According to the post-.Homer legend,
related by a Roman -writeF, Thetis, the mother of Achilles^
knew of the prophecy that her son would become one of
88

the most celebrated heroes, but was w arned that he
would be killed during the siege of Troy. So she tried
to make Achilles invulnerable by dipping him in the
river Styx, and succeeded except that the heel by which
she held him, not being immersed, remained vulnerable.
In the Trojan War, Achilles was wounded by an arrow
in this spot by Paris, and died of the wound.
Pronunciation and stress:
Achilles [a'kiii:z], H om er ['houma], Iliad ['iliad],
Trojan ['troudjan], Troy [troi], Styx [stiks], Paris
['paeris], v u ln era ble ['vAlnarabl], epic ['epik], Thetis
[■'■0etis]
Notes:
PROPHECY, PROPHESY. Remember the difference in the
spelling and pronunciation of the two words: the noun
prophecy ['profisi] and the verb prophesy ['prohsai],
V9

VULNERABLE, INVULNERABLE. In words borrowed from
Latin the negative prefix in- appears as il- before I, ir-
before r, and ini- before a labial, as in illeg al, irreso­
lute, impossible. In native words in- generally rem ains
unchanged in these cases, as in inland, inmost.
The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
1. В греческой мифологии Ахиллес — один из са ­
мых сильных и х рабры х героев. 2. В эпической поэме
Гомера «Илиада» Ахиллес — один из героев Троян­
ской войны. 3. Послегомеровский миф, переданный
одним из римских писателей, рассказывает, что Фети­
да, мать Ахиллеса, знала, что сыну ее суждено стать
прославленным героем, но, согласно предсказанию,
погибнуть при осаде Трои. 4. Поэтому она попыталась
сделать Ахиллеса неуязвимым. 5. Фетида окунула Ахил­
леса в воды реки Стикс. 6. Окуная, она держала его
за пятку, которой поэтому не коснулась вода, и пятка
осталась единственным уязвимым местом Ахиллеса.
7. При осаде Трои Ахиллес был смертельно ранен,
стрела Париса пронзила ему пятку. 8. Возникшее от­
сюда выражение Ахиллесова пята употребляется в ме­
тафорическом значении: слабое, уязвимое место.
Translate into English:
Ахиллесова пята
Бедный Ахиллес, пятка была его слабым местом.
И даже умирая, он предостерегал своих воинов:
—
Не показывайте пяток врагу!
Но воины презирали опасность. Воины шли в бой
и бесстрашно показывали врагу свои крепкие, неуяз­
вимые пятки.
Ф. Кривин, Божественные истории
Hell is paved with good intentions
Благими намерениями ад вымощен
Hell is paved with good intentions is a popular say ­
ing. Similar expressions occur in other languages. It is
traditionally ascribed to Dr Samuel Johnson, an English
SO

lexicographer and writer of the 18th century. In fact,
Johnson did not invent the expression, but his wording
is the one that has become accepted, others paved
the hell with infants’ skulls, with the sculls of scholars,
and many had paved it with good purposes and good
desires.
Pronunciation and stress:
Samuel Johnson ['saemjual 'djonsn], lexicographer
[Jeksi'kografa]
A Hercules’ labour
Геркулесов труд
A Hercules’ labour is a very great task. Hercules is
the latinized name of the most famous Greek legendary
hero, Heraeles, distinguished for his prodigious physical
strength.
According to the Greek myth, Heracles was the son
of Zeus and a mortal woman, which fact excited the
jealousy and hatred of the great goddess Hera, wife of
the mighty Zeus. Even before Heracles was born, Hera
planned and plotted to bring some harm upon him. She
placed the brave hero into the power of Eurystheus, a
sickly and cowardly king, whose orders the former had
to take. Throughout his life Heracles suffered the venge­
ful persecution of Hera; indeed, his first exploit was
the strangling of two enormous serpents which she sent
to kill him in his cradle.
Heracles spent his early youth in developing his
strength. He began his saga of deeds by killing the lion
that was ravaging the herds of his mother’s husband.
Then he waged a victorious war against a king of Beo­
tia, and married a royal princess. But he killed his own
children in a fit of madness sent by Hera; as a punish­
ment for this crime, he was obliged to become the ser*
vant of Eurystheus. The latter imposed upon Heracles
the famous labours, later arranged in a cycle of twelve,
as follows: (I) the slaying of the lion of Nemea, whose
skin he therefore wore; (2) the slaying of the nine-head­
ed hydra; (3) the capture of the elusive stag; (4) the
capture of the wild boar; (5) the cleansing of the sta­
91

bles of King Augeas; (G) the shooting of the monstrous
man-eating birds, (7) the capture of the mad bull that
terrorized the island of Crete; (8) the capture of the
man-eating mares; (9) the taking of the girdle of the
queen of the Amazons; (10) the seizing of the cattle of
the three-bodied giant; (11) the fetching up from the
lower world of the triple-headed dog, guardian of its
gates; (12) the bringing back of the golden apples kept
at the world’s end by the Hesperides.
The favourite hero of the ancient Greeks, Heracles
was very popular with poets and sculptors. One of the
most famous statues represents the hero exhausted by
toil, leaning on his club; and in his left hand he holds
one of the apples of the Hesperides.
;
Pronunciation and stress:
Hercules ['haikjulizz], Heracles ['herakliiz], Zeus
[zju:s], Eurystheus [ju/nsGiss], Beotia [bi'osia], Nemea
[ni'mi:a], Am azon ['aemazan], Hesperides [hes'pendi:z],
Augeas [or'd^naes], Crete [kri:t], prodigious [pra'didjas],
jealousy ['djelasi], cleanse [klenz], hydra ['haidra]
Notes:
CLEANSE, CLEAN . The verb to cleanse is often mis­
pronounced through the association with clean. Be sure
to pronounce it [klenz],
BULL. Students are sometimes tempted to read the
letter и in this word like [л] guided by the rule of read­
ing u in a closed syllable and forgetting that after
the bi-labial sounds p and b the letter и is read like [u],
as in pull, put, bush, butcher, bulletin, bullet, bully, an d
that bus, bucket, pulse, puff are exceptions to the rule.
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the statements and the questions.
1. Геракл (в римской мифологии Геркулес) — один
из самых прославленных героев мифологии. 2. Геракл
был одарен необыкновенной физической силой. 3. По
велению богов он должен был стать на 12 лет слугой
царя Эврисфея и совершить по его поручению двена­
дцать подвигов. 4. Г еракл очистил конюшни Авгия, убил
девятиглавую гидру, похитил золотые яблоки Геспе-
92

рид. 5. Имя легендарного греческого героя стало упо­
требляться для обозначения человека, обладающего
большой физической силой. 6. Выражение Геркулесов
подвиг употребляется, когда говорят о каком-либо
деле, требующем необыкновенных усилий.
The Holy of Holies
Святая святых
In the Bible, the Holy of Holies is the name of the
essential part of the sanctuary in the temple of Jerusa­
lem, entered only by the high priest. The phrase is fre­
quently used in modern speech to denote a sacred place
hard of access, or a person’s study or ‘den’, where he is
or (should be) free from intrusion. (See also: Abom ina­
tion of desolation.)
How could they imagine that there was a little
holy of holies in her heart where she still held
•
communion with him?
A. Huxley, Those Barren Leaves
Many a thinker who has started with philo­
sophy or science has had to pass through language
and art before he could come back to man and his
nature and his ways. It is as though the central
mystery of mysteries, the holy of holies of m an ’s
nature, were here where biology is becoming at
once mentality and language.
C. Laird, Thinking about Language
Pronunciation and stress:
Jerusalem
[dja'ruisabm], sanctuary ['saeijktjuari],
sa cred ['seikrid]
Translate into English:
Выражение святая святых употребляется в значе­
нии: что-нибудь сокровенное. Оно возникло из библии,
где святая святых обозначает часть иерусалимского
храма, куда мог входить только первосвященник. Пос­
ле захвата Иерусалима римскими войсками солдаты
водрузили в этом храме свой флаг и таким образом
осквернили святыню.
93

The horn of plenty
Рог изобилия
The horn of plenty, or cornucopia, is the symbol of
abundance. According to the myth, when Jupiter was a
baby he was nursed by nymphs with the milk of Amal-
thea, the goat. The broken horn of Amalthea filled with
fruits and flowers was brought to Jupiter by one of the
nymphs. Jupiter presented the horn to the nymphs prom­
ising that it would become filled with whatever they
wished. On this account it was called the horn of plen­
ty. Ceres, the goddess of the growing vegetation, is
usually drawn by painters with the horn of plenty in
her left hand. Sometimes the fruits and flowers are
being poured on the earth from the full horn, and some­
times they are held in it as in a basket.
Pronunciation and stress:
Cornucopia ^kainju'koupja], Jupiter ['dsuipitsj, Amal­
thea [,аетэ1'01:э], Ceres ['siarrz]
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the statements and the questions.
1.
Рог изобилия является символом богатства, изо­
билия. 2. Выражение заимствовано из мифологии.
94

3. В одном из мифов рассказывается о том, что коза
Амалфея, вскормившая своим молоком младенца
Юпитера, однажды сломала себе рог. 4. Одна из нимф
нашла его, наполнила плодами и преподнесла Юпи­
теру. 5. Юпитер подарил этот рог воспитавшим его
нимфам. 6. Он обещал нимфам, что из этого рога по­
явится все, чего бы они ни пожелали. 7. Римская бо­
гиня плодородия Церера обычно изображается с ро­
гом изобилия в руке.
The hub of the Universe
Пуп земли
The hub of the Universe is used to denote a city or
any centre considered by its inhabitants to be of great
importance. It is also said, ironically, of a man who
imagines himself the central figure in a group or enter­
prise. The metaphor is derived from the Talmudic con­
cept of the structure of the universe: the centre of Jeru­
salem is the temple, the centre of the temple — the Holy
of Holies, and the centre of that — the sacred stone, the
hub of the universe. According to the legend, it was the
first stone with which God began creating the world.
The hub in its literal meaning is the central part erf
the wheel rotating on the axle, from which the spokes
radiate.
Pronunciation and' stress:
Talmudic [tasl'mudjk], Jerusalem [dja'ruisabm], axle
[aeksl], concept ['konsapt], U niverse ['ju:mva:s]
Translate into English:
Согласно Талмуду, в центре Иерусалима нахо­
дится храм, в центре храма — святая святых (алтарь),
а в центре алтаря — священный камень. Считается,
что именно с этого камня, который бог бросил в море,
началось мироздание. Метафора пуп земли употреб­
ляется иронически, как характеристика человека, ко­
торый воо бражае т себя центром, основной силой чего-
либо,
95

Hundred-eyed Argus
Стоокий Аргус
According to Greek mythology, A rgus was a fabu­
lous creature with a hundred eyes in his head or over
his body; he was called all-seeing because some of his
eyes were always awake.
In his Metamorphoses, Ovid tells us that when Zeus
fell in love with Io, he changed her into a beautiful
white cow to protect her from the jealousy of his wife,
Hera. But Hera persuaded her husband to give her the
cow as a present and set the hundred-eyed Argus to
watch her day and night. Being unable to speak, Io
could not tell anyone how much she suffered. To restore
Io to her original form Zeus ordered his son, Hermes, to
kill Argus. Hermes put Argus to sleep (according to
some accounts, by playing the flute), then cut off his
head. Hera placed the eyes of Argus on the tail of a
peacock, her sacred bird.
The phrase hundred-eyed Argus is used ironically to
describe an ever-watchful person, an over-watchful
guardian.
Pronunciation and stress:
Argu s [V.gss], Ovid ['ovid], Zeus [zju:s], H e ra
['hi:ra], Io ['aiou], Hermes ['h3:mi:z], fabulous ['faebjubs],
creature
['kriitja], Metamorphoses ['meta'moifouzizj

J
Judas kiss
Поцелуй Иуды
The phrase a Judas kiss comes from the Gospel sto­
ry about the betrayal of Jesus by one of his disciples,
Judas. Judas was the twelfth apostle. Judas’ object in
betraying Jesus is regarded in the Gospel as due to
selfishness based on avarice. The story runs thus: Judas
was present with the other apostles in the room of the
Last Supper. But he quitted the room before the other
disciples left and made his way in great haste to the
chief priests. He offered them his assistance in arrest­
ing his master without tumult, without anyone raising
a cry. The chief priests eagerly embraced the offer and
promised Judas to pay him thirty pieces of silver. They
went through the dark streets of Jerusalem. There was
to be no mistake in the darkness. “W homsoever I shall
kiss,” said Judas, “that same is Jesus.” When they came
up to the place in the garden where Jesus was standing,
Judas ran to Jesus and kissed him. The guardsmen took
Jesus and led him away.
When Judas realized that his master, whom he had
betrayed, might die, he hurried back to the chief priests
and offered to return the money, saying that he had be­
97

trayed an innocent m an and that he repented of his ac­
tion. But the priests only said; "What is that to us?”
Then Judas flung the money down into the temple, went
and hanged himself. The priests could not take the mon­
ey into the treasury because it was the price of blood,
so they bought with it a field for a cemetery.
The expression a Judas kiss denotes a treacherous
action disguised as kindness. The words thirty pieces
of silver symbolize a payment for an act of betrayal.
Pronunciation and stress:
Judas ['djurdas], Jesus ['djnzas], Jerusalem [dj/ru:-
satam], treacherous ['tretjaras], disciple [disaipl], apostle
[a'posl], tumult ['tjumAlt], avarice ['asvaris]
Notes:
BETRAY, BETRAYAL, BETRAYER . TRAITOR . There are two
nouns formed from the verb ‘to betray’: ‘betrayal’ and
‘betrayer’. However, the latter is rarely used, its place
being taken by the noun ‘traitor’ of the same Latin root.

To keep one’s powder dry
Держать порох сухим
The metaphor to keep one’s powder dry means to be
prepared for eventualities, to be ready for any emer­
gency. The phrase is attributed to Oliver Cromwell, an
English general and statesman, the leader of the bour­
geois revolution of the 17th century. Addressing the
troops of the Ironsides that were about to cross a river
and attack the army of the King of England, Cromwell
is alleged to have said, ‘Put your trust in God, my boys,
and keep your powder dry.’ These words are known as
‘Oliver’s Advice’.
Pronunciation and stress:
Oliver Cromwell ['oliva 'kromwal], eventuality
[iventju'aeliti], bourgeois ['bua^wa:], Ironsides ['aian-
saidz]
Translate inlo English:
Выражение держать порох сухим употребляется в
значении: быть всегда наготове. Оно приписывается
английскому государственному деятелю, вождю бур­
жуазной революции XVII века О ливеру Кромвелю.
99

Кромвель будто бы употребил эти слова, обращаясь к
своим войскам, которым нужно было перейти реку,
чтобы атаковать королевскую армию.
То kill the fatted calf
Заклать жирного тельца
То kill the fatted calf means to prepare the best
food in the house for a welcome guest, especially to
welcome back one who has absented himself and returns
to his old relationships and environment. The phrase is
used in the Gospel parable of the Prodigal Son, “ Bring
hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be
merry.” (See: Prodigal son.)
“And now’, Mr. Simmons, will you describe what
happened last?”
“We killed the fatted calf, Inspector. That is, Mitzi
set her hand to making savoury pastries, Aunt Letty
opened a new bottle of sherry..."
A. Christie, A Murder Is Announced
Her parents were equally pleased with her and her
mother killed — as far as their own diminishing means
and war-time restrictions permitted such a sacrifice —
the fatted call.
L. P . Hartley, A Perfect Woman
Pronunciation and stress:
Absent (v) [«b'sent], environment [in'vaiaranmant],
parable ['ргегэЫ]
Do the following two-way translation:
Do you know the phrase to kill the fatted calf?
Да, оно означает приготовить для же ­
ланного гостя все лучшее, что есть в доме,
оказать ему самый сердечный прием.
It’s borrowed from the Bible, isn ’t it?
Точнее, из евангелия, из евангельской
притчи.
Which parable?
Из притчи о блудном сыне. В притче рас­
сказывается, что, когда сын, расточив все
100

свое имущество, возвра-Гился в родной дом,
отец велел одеть его в лучшую одежду и
заклать в его честь жирного тельца.
Is the expression used outside the Bible? I mean
are any of your writers likely to have used it?
Оба выражения: блудный сын и заклать
жирного тельца встречаются в литературе,
в книгах Тургенева, Горького, Толстого.
Вот, кстати, пример из романа «Война и
мир». Вы, конечно, знакомы с этим произ­
ведением?
Unfortunately, I know only the screen version.
Ну, все равно, вы должны помнить князя
Василия и Анну Павловну Шерер. Анна
Павловна, которая недолюбливала младше­
го сына князя, спросила его однажды: «Вы
никогда не думали о том, чтобы женить ва ­
шего блудного сына Анатоля?»
I should say the words are used in a derogatory
sense.
Да, безусловно, выражение блудный сын
содерж ит оттенок неодобрения.
The knight of the rueful countenance
Рыцарь печального образа
The words the knight of the rueful countenance ap­
pear in Don Quixote by Cervantes, the great Spanish
novelist. In his novel Cervantes discredits through рат-
ody the “false and absurd” romances of chivalry, which
for a century had exercised a hypnotic attraction on
readers of all classes. Don Quixote, a modest country
gentleman so hypnotized, sets out to resurrect the insti­
tution of knight-errantry. He has high ideals and is a
chivalrous but very unpractical person. He is brought
up against harsh reality and defeated by it.
Admirably sane in everything else, he mistakes inns
for castles, windmills for giants, criminals on their
way to the galleys for victims of tyranny, and sees at
every turn a wrong reserved for him to right.
101

The knight's adventures provide both a framework
and subject m atter for two men talking as they travel
the roads of Spain. There can be few themes current
in the age that the two do not discuss: the meaning
and purpose of existence, the nature of reality and of
truth, the relativity of judgement and of values, and
many others. The all-pervading humanity of Don
Quixote makes it one of the world’s most loved books.
Don Quixote is called the knight of the rueful coun­
tenance by Sancho Panza, his squire, a short, potbel­
lied peasant, ignorant and credulous, but shrewd and
wise.
The term the knight of the rueful countenance is usu­
ally applied to an enthusiastic visionary, a pursuer of
lofty but impracticable ideals, a person utterly regard­
less of his material interest in comparison with honour
or devotion.
>
Pronunciation and stress:
Don Quixote ['don'kwiksat], Cervantes [sa/vaentiz],
Sancho Panza ['saeijkou'paenza], rom ance [ra'maens],
resurrect ^reza'rekt], chivalrous ['jivalrss], credulous
[’kredjubs], absurd [ab'said], rueful [7ru:ful]
Knowledge is power
Знание — сила
The words knowledge is power were first used by
Francis Bacon, an English philosopher, statesman and
writer of the 16— 17th centuries, the founder of English
m aterialism . He came out against the scholastic teach­
ing of the Middle Ages and stood for experimental
science. His books, after the m anner of the age, were
written in Latin. The literal translation of the Latin
phrase under consideration is, ‘Even knowledge itself
is power’.
Pronunciation and stress:
Francis Bacon ['fra:nsis 'beiksn], m aterialism
[ma'tiarializam], scholastic [ska'laestik]
102

Выражение знание —
сила принадлежит Френ­
сису Бэкону, английскому
философу - материалисту
XVI-—
XVII веков. Бэкон
явился одним из осново­
положников материализ­
ма в Англии. Он выступал
против
схоластического
средневекового учения и
был сторонником экспери­
ментальной науки.
Translate into English:
Know thyself
Познай самого себя
According to Plato’s
Protagoras, a book about
an ancient philosopher and
statesm an of the 5th cen­
tury В.C ., the wordsknow
thyself were inscribed on
the tem ple of Apollo at
Delphi as one of the
world’s fundamental pieces
of wisdom. The words
are traditionally attributed
to someone of the Seven
Sages of Greece, the names
most frequently mentioned
in this connection are those
of Chilon
of Sparta,
a statesman of the 6th

century В. С.; Solon of Athens, a iaw-giver Of the 6th
century В. C.; and Thales of Miletus, a Greek philoso­
pher of the 7th — 6th centuries В. C. The Seven Sages
of Greece were noted for their maxims.
The idea of knowing oneself was advocated by So­
crates, an Athenian philosopher of the 5th century В. C.
Pronunciation and stress:
Plato Tpleitou], P ro ta g o ra s [prou'tasgaraes], Apollo
p'p olo u], Delphi ['delfai], Thales ['0eili:z], Miletus
jmi'lktas], Solon [sou'bn], Chilon ['k aibn], Socrates
j'sokrati.-z], Athenian [a'0i:nj3n]
Translate into English:
«Познай самого себя» — надпись на древнегрече­
ском храме Аполлона в Дельфах. Она приписывается
одному из семи мудрецов древней Греции, прославив­
шихся своими афоризмами. Ч аще всего выражение
приписывается Хилону из Спарты, Солону из Афин и
греческому философу Фалесу Милетскому.

The last day of Pompeii
Последний день Помпеи
Pompeii was an ancient city of Italy, near the Gulf
of Naples, destroyed by an eruption of Vesuvius in
79 A. D. Amid thunder and lightning, under blackened
skies, for three days and three nights, the cindery rain
fell. In the turmoil and confusion caused by the erup­
tion the panic-stricken people had no time to escape
and most of. them were buried under mountains of ashes
and cinders. About 2000 perished. The eruption is de­
scribed by Pliny the Younger in letters to Tacitus telling
of the death of the elder Pliny, a Roman writer, who
perished in the city. In the middle of the 18th century,
treasure seekers and students of ancient history began
to dig beneath the blanket of ashes; they found the city
in a fair state of preservation. The cinders and ashes
sealed the town off from the air so thoroughly that the
process of decay had small chance to start.
The words the last day of Pompeii have come to de-
note a state.of confusion, turmoil and uproar.
105

Pronunciation and st ress:
Pompeii [pom'pi:aij, N aples [neiplzj, Pliny ['plmi],
Tacitus ['tsesitas], buried ['berid], thoroughly ['ЭлгэЬ],
tu rm oil I'taimoil]
Notes:
GULF, BAY, BIGHT. Gulf and bay denoting a portion
of the sea (the Russian: залив) differ in that a gulf is
larger and narrower at the mouth than a bay and is
partly surrounded by coast, while a bay is always
wide-mouthed, hence: the Mexican Gulf, the Persian
(Iranian) Gulf, the Gulf of Guinea, the Gulf of Thailand
(Сиамский залив), the Gulf of St. Lawrence (залив
Святого Лаврентия), but the Bay of Bengal, the Bay
of Biscay (Бискайский залив), the Hudson Bay, the
San Francisco Bay (Калифорнийский залив), the Che­
sapeake Bay (Чесапикский залив), the Baffin Bay (за­
лив Баффина). A bend in the coast, forming an open
bay is called a bight: the Great Australian Bight (Боль­
шой Австралийский залив), the Bight of Benin (Боль­
шой залив Бенин)
MOST, THE MOST, A MOST are to be clearly distin­
guished. Most (adj. and noun) means the majority of or
larger part of: most rivers fall into the sea. The prepo­
sition of is placed before the definite article or pronoun
(demonstrative or possessive): in most of the regions
of Afghanistan the mountains are woodless; He has
been ill most of the term. The most is always part of
the superlative degree: Egyptian culture is one of the
most ancient cultures in the world. Most preceded by
a is equal to ‘very, exceedingly’: Spain played a most
important role in the 15—J6th centuries.
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation, using both
the statements and the questions.
1. В 79 г. пашей эры произошло сильное изверже­
ние Везувия и древний город Помпея (более совре­
менный вариант: Помпеи), расположенный у юго-во­
сточного склона горы, был засыпан золой и пеплом.
2. Почти никому из жителей не удалось спастись.
3. Одним из тех, кто погиб при извержении Везувия,
был римский естествоиспытатель и писатель Плиний
106

Старший. 4. Его племянник, Плиний Младший, в сво­
их письмах к римскому историку Тациту, описал из­
вержение вулкана и гибель Плиния Старшего.
5. В XVIII веке были произведены раскопки Помпеи.
6. Выяснилось, что многие здания города мало по­
страдали во время извержения и сохранились почти
невредимыми. 7. Это произошло потому, что огромный
слой золы и пепла препятствовал доступу воздуха.
The last of the Mohicans
Последний из могикан
The term the last of the Mohicans derives from the
name of a book by F. Cooper (1789— 1851), an Ameri­
can novelist. The Mohicans were North American In ­
dians who lived in the valley of the Hudson River and
had their encampments even in the Great North Woods
of New York.
F. Cooper became famous for his stories of adven­
ture among the Redskins. He wrote his book of the Mo­
hicans in 1826, at a time when the Indians were still
fairly numerous and often took to the warpath against
the white settlers. They have practically all died out
since then.
Now the phrase the last of the Mohicans is used
metaphorically to denote the last representative of a
social group or of a dying out generation.
Pronunciation and stress:
Mohicans ['mouikgnz], Cooper ['ku:po]
Notes:
NOVEL.This noun denoting a book of fiction, rather
long and having a plot, should not get mixed up with
the Russian новелла, which is a short story.
The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
Engiish.
1. Последним из могикан называют последнего
представителя общественной группы или отживающе­
го поколения. 2. Источник этого выражения — роман
американского писателя Фенимора Купера. 3. В ро­
107

мане описывается борьба могикан, племени северо­
американских индейцев, с белыми поселенцами, евро ­
пейскими колонизаторами. 4. Племя, описанное в ро­
мане, в настоящее время совершенно вымерло.
The law of Lycurgus
Закон Ликурга
Lycurgus was a legendary Spartan law-giver of the
9th century В. C. The laws settled by Lycurgus arranged
the lives of Spartans from birth to death as if they
were parts of a machine. All deformed and weakly in­
fants were considered useless to the state; they were
taken to a near-by mountain top and left to die of cold
and hunger. At seven years of age, the Spartan chil­
dren were taken from their parents and placed at the
public schools. They lived in barracks in the hardest
and simplest way possible, and were made to endure
hunger, fatigue and thrashing. At the age of twenty
the youth became a soldier.
When Lycurgus had completed his laws, he is said
to have gone away binding the Spartans by a solemn
oath to obey his laws till his return. Never to relieve
the people from their oath by returning to the city, he
voluntarily starved himself to death.
In modern speech the words the law of Lycurgus
are used as a metaphor to describe an iron code of
laws. (See also: Spartan upbringing; With the shield or
on it.)
Pronunciation and stress:
Lycurgus [lai'kaigas], barrack ['baerak], fatigue
[fa'ti:g]
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation, using both
the questions and the statements.
1. Метафора закон Ликурга употребляется в зна­
чении: суровый, железный закон. 2. Он назван так по
имени легендарного законодателя Спарты Ликурга.
3. Ликургу приписывается составление свода законов,
определявших экономический и политический строй
спартанцев. 4. По этим законам только сильные и здо­
J08

ровые имели право жить. 5. Болезненных детей и
калек отводили на вершину горы и оставляли там уми­
рать от голода и стужи. 6. Начиная с 7 летнего воз­
раста детей приучали к суровому образу жизни в спе­
циальных школах, напоминающих военные лагери.
7. К двадцати годам они становились солдатами.
8. Легенда рассказывает, что, составив свод законов,
Ликург покинул Спарту, предварительно взяв с жите­
лей города торжественную клятву соблюдать законы
до его возвращения. 9. Д ля того чтобы заставить
спартанцев вечно повиноваться этим законам, Ликург
так и не вернулся в Спарту. 10. Легенда утверждает,
что он добровольно отказался от пищи и умер голод­
ной смертью.
The law of the Medes and Persians
Закон мидян и персов
The term the law of the Medes and Persians is used
to denote a law or custom which is not subject to any
modification or alteration. It is an allusion to the code
of laws adopted by Darius, the head of the Persian
Empire, 522—486 В. C. The law of the Medes and Per­
sians was aimed at strengthening the country.
The law of robins apparently is that, except
in the actual nesting period, each robin must have
one territory, and if another robin comes he or
she is breaking the law of robins. This law is as
unalterable as that of the Medes and Persians; it
is probably much older and it has certainly lasted
much longer.
E. Grey, Fallodon Papers
Pronunciation and stress:
Darius [da'raias], empire ['етраю]
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
Senten ces would be answers. Do a two-way translation, using both
the statements and the questions.
1. В древности законом мидян и персов называли
свод законов, принятый персидским царем Дарием
для укрепления свсей империи. 2. Этот свод законов
109

не подлежал никаким, даже частичным изменениям.
3. Метафора закон мидян и персов употребляется,
когда речь идет о чем-то, что нельзя изменить.
The lion’s share
Львиная доля
The lion’s share is the larger and better part of
something. The phrase is based on one of Aesop’s fa­
bles. In the fable several beasts joined the lion in a
hunt, but when the spoil was divided, the lion claimed
one quarter in right of his prerogative, one for his
superior courage, one for his cubs. “As to the fourth,
who will dispute it with me?” asked the lion. Awed by
his frown, the other beasts silently withdrew.
He wants the lion’s share for himeself and his
client. He'll condescend to let my client have
25 per cent.
E. S. Gardner, The D. A. Calls a Turn
Pronunciation and stress:
Aesop ['i:sop], based [beist], prerogative [pr/rogativ],
superior [sju(:)'pi3ri3], frown [fraunj
Translate into English:
Выражение львиная доля употребляется для обо­
значения большей, лучшей доли чего-либо, которую
при дележе берет себе сильнейший. Выражение заим­
ствовано из басни древнегреческого баснописца Эзопа
о льве, который с помощью других зверей поймал
оленя и угрозами заставил зверей отдать ему всю до­
бычу.
Lot’s wife
Жена Лота
In the Bible, Lot was the nephew of Abraham , the
legendary ancestor of the Palestinian peoples. He sep­
arated from his uncle and went to live in the Jord an
valley, in the city of Sodom. The people of Sodom of­
fended God by their wickedness, and he sent a rain of
ПО

fire and brimstone to destroy the city. The only right­
eous man in Sodom, Lot, was told to take his family
and leave (he city at once. He was warned never to look
back. Out of curiosity Lot’s wife turned her head and
was immediately turned into a pillar of salt.
The phrase Lot’s wife is used ironically to speak of
a woman who cannot restrain her curiosity.
Pronunciation and stress:
Abraham ['eibrahaem], P alestinian [^paeb'stmian],
nephew [/nevju(:)]> Sodom ['sodam], Jorda n ['dgordnj,
separate ['separeit], brimstone ['brimstan], righteous
['raitjas]
Notes:
SEPARATE. Remember that the verb to separate tak ­
ing a prepositional object is followed by the preposi­
tion from, e. g. to separate from a friend. Don’t be mis­
led by the Russian equivalent разлучаться, расставать­
ся с (кем-либо, чем-либо).
Translate into English:
Согласно библейской легенде, Лот узнал о том, что
Содом должен быть разрушен. Он бежал из города,
обреченного на гибель, захватив с собой жену и доче­
рей. Никто не смел оглядываться назад. Но, услышав
позади оглушительный грохот, жена Лота, движимая
любопытством, обернулась и тотчас же превратилась
в соляной-столб.
A Lucullus (Lucullean) feast
Лукуллов пир
Lucullus was a rich Roman general and consul of
the 1st century В, C., noted for his wealth and self-in­
dulgence. On his return to Rome from w ars he retired
from politics into leisure and luxury. On one occasion
a very superb supper was prepared, and when asked
who were to be his guests he replied, “Lucullus will
sup tonight with Lucullus.” The luxurious banquets of
Lucullus are described by Plutarch.
A Lucullus feast is a synonym for a magnificent
banquet.
Ill

Pronunciation and stress:
Lucullus [lu/kAbs], Lucullean [lu/клЬэп], Plutarch
['plu:ta:k], politics ['politiks], leisure ['leja], lux ury
|'1лк/эп], luxurious [kg'zjuarias], superb [sju(:)'p3:b],
consul ['konsal]
Notes:
POLITICS, POLICY . These words are often confused
probably through having one and the same Russian
equivalent политика. However, they are to be distin­
guished. Politics (used as a singular noun) means po­
litical affairs, plans, principles. Policy denotes a course
of action adopted by a government, party, etc.: to be
interested in politics, but to pursue a policy of peace.
LUXURIOUS, LUXURIANT . The adjectives though alike
in form are different in meaning. Luxurious means
splendid and comfortable, as a luxurious hotel; luxuri­
ant is abundant, as luxuriant hair.
' The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
1. Выражение Лукуллов пир употребляется в зна­
чении: великолепный, роскошный пир. 2. Оно происхо­
дит от имени римского полководца и консула Лукул ­
ла. 3. Лукулл прославился не столько своими воен­
ными походами, сколько своим богатством и пирами.
4. Рассказывают, что однажды он сказал: «Сегодня'
Лукулл ужинает у Лукулла». 5. Эти слова были отве­
том на вопрос о том, кого он пригласил на роскошный
ужин, который пр иказал подать.

мй
тШчч
The mark of Cain
Каинова печать
The story of Cain and Abel, told in the Bible, runs
as follows: Adam and Eve, the first people on earth,
had two softs, Cain and Abel; “Abel was a keeper of
sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.” Cain
brought to God an offering of the fruit of the ground;
Abel’s offering was the firstlings of his flock. God was
better pleased with Abel’s offering, and Cain felt
envious and offended. He went to talk to his brother;
when they were in the field, Cain killed Abel. For his
crime he was driven out to be a fugitive and a vaga­
bond. Fearing to be killed by anyone who might meet
him, he complained to God that his punishment was
more than he could bear, and God set a mark upon
Cain, so that anyone finding him should know that he
was a murderer. The mark of Cain is the mark of an
outlaw, the brand of a murderer.
5 H, М. Эльянова
113

Pronunciation and stress:
Cain [kein], Abel ['eibal], fugitive ['fjuidjitiv], v a g a ­
bon d ['vasgaband]
Render the following text in English:
У Адама и Евы были два сына: старший — Каин и
младший — Авель. Авель пас овец, Каин обрабатывал
землю. Однажды случилось так, что Каин принес в
дар богу плоды земли, Авель же посвятил ему перво­
родных ягнят от стада своего. Бог благосклонно при­
нял дары Авеля, а на подношение Каина даже не по­
смотрел. Каин был р азгневан и лицо его помрачнело...
Снедаемый завистью, он заманил Авеля в поле и
коварно убил его. Увидев, что свершилось преступле­
ние, бог обратил ся к Каину: «Где Авель, брат твой?»
А Каин ответил: «Не знаю: разве я сторож брату
моему?» Тогда бог... в великом гневе... проклял Каина
и сказал ему, что будет он изгнанником и скитальцем
на земле во веки вечные, и отметил его печатью (что­
бы всякий, кто встретит его, знал, что он убийца).
3. Кос идов ский, Библейские сказания
The massacre of the innocents
Избиение младенцев
The phrase the massacre of the innocents is an al­
lusion to the slaughter of the children in Bethlehem by
the soldiers of Herod. Herod was apprised by the wise
men about the birth of Jesus, whom they called the
king of Judea, and his superstitious fears caused him to
see a rival in every baby born in the city.
The story has-been for centuries a favourite subject
with artists, especially those of the Flemish and Italian
schools. Among the greatest examples are those by
Tintoretto, Rubens and Breughel.
In modern speech the phrase is used to indicate a
heartless treatment of children or young people, and
often has a humorous colouring.
Pronunciation and stress:
Herod ['herad], Bethlehem ['beShhem], Jesus ['dgiizas],
Flemish ['flemijj, Tintoretto ^tinta'retou], Rubens
114

f'ru:banz], Breughel ['broigal], m assacre ['maesaka],
superstitious [/sjuipa'stijas]
Notes:
EVERY, EACH. The synonyms are often interchanged,
and yet of the two words every is more general, each
is applied to every one of a definite group (taken sepa­
rately): every day, every soldier, each of the children,
each of us. Unlike each, every is never followed by of.
FOR, DURING . These two words coincide only in de­
noting a period of time, in combination with nouns
such as hour, day, week, etc.-,
thus for the past two
months is synonymous with during the past two months
(in this case for can be altogether dropped). During
is also used to mean ‘at the time of’: during the lesson,
during his absence. In this case it can be replaced by
at or in, but not by for. Cf.: at the lesson, in his
absence.
Translate into English:
Избиение младенцев.
Палач тяжело дышал.
—
Сил моих нету! Прямо детский сад, а не серь­
езное заведение!
—
Чтобы рубить головы, надо свою сохранить на
плечах, — мягко улыбнулся царь Ирод.
—
Трудно с ними, — всхлипнул палач. — Сущие
ведь младенцы!
—
Младенцы? — Ирод встал из-за стола. — М ла­
денцы? — Ирод вышел на середину кабинета. — З а ­
помни, палач: если думать о будущем, младенцы —
это самый опасный возраст. Сегодня младенец, а за в­
тр а Иисус Христос!
Ф. Кривин, Божественные истории
A mess of pottage
Чечевичная похлебка
In the Bible, Esau and Jacob, the sons of a Hebrew
patriarch, were twins, and, as the elder of the two,
Esau was entitled to inherit all his father’s property.
5
115

But Jacob managed to deprive his brother of paternal
inheritance. He took advantage of Esau’s hunger to buy
from him his birthright for a mess of pottage. After­
wards, having dressed himself in his brother’s clothes
he approached the death-bed of his blind old father and
received from him the blessing which was meant for
his twin brother.
The expression to sell one’s birthright for a mess of
pottage means to exchange something of permanent
value for material advantage, mere livelihood, or tem­
porary pleasure.
With the help of North’s votes in the Commons,
the whigs forced their way back to office, at the
price of losing the people’s confidence. They sold
their birthright for a hasty spoonful of pottage,
when the whole mess would have been theirs if
they had waited.
G. M. Trevelyan, British History in the Nineteenth Century
Think of all the young writers who had won
acclaim for the promise of their genius, and then
had left their promise unfulfilled because they
traded their birthright for just such a mess of the
world’s pottage.
T. Wolfe, You Can’t Go Home Again
Pronunciation and stress:
Hebrew ['hi:bru:], Jacob ['djeikab], Esau ['iiso:],
patriarch ['peitria:k]
Notes:
AS, LIKE. These two words have one Russian equiva­
lent как and are somewhat difficult to distinguish. It
should be remembered that to be or to do like one
means to act in a manner characteristic of that person,
thus to behave like a child is said of a grown-up per­
son who acts as if he were a child. To do as one means
to act in the capacity or character of that person: to
work as an engineer, to appear on the stage as Hamlet.
OLDER, ELDER . Both words imply being born earlier,
but elder is limited in its use, it can be said only of
two people in the same family, as one’s elder brother,
son, etc.
116

APPROACH. The common error made by students is
the use of the preposition to after this verb, which is
probably suggested by the Russian приближаться к.
The English verb requires a direct object.
Render the text in English:
Выражение чечевичная похлебка употребляется в
значении: что-нибудь ничтожное, за что отдано что-то
ценное. Выражение основано на библейском рассказе
о сыновьях патриарха Исаака — Исаве и Иакове.
Однажды Иаков стоял у кухонного очага и варил
себе чечевичную похлебку. Вдруг пришел Исав и по­
просил дать ему поесть. Он устал и был голоден как
волк. Весь день провел на охоте, но вернулся с пу­
стыми руками. Когда И сав испытывал голод, ему не­
обходимо было поесть немедленно, таков уж был
у него характер. Но Иаков и не думал делиться о бра ­
том похлебкой. Исав жадно вдыхал вкусный запах и
просил все настойчивее. Тогда Иаков, как бы шутя,
спросил: «А ты продашь мне право первородства за
чечевичную похлебку?» «Продам!» — ответил Исав не
задумываясь. — «И поклянешься?» «Клянусь!» — ска­
зал ветрогон. Конечно, он этого не принимал всерьез.
Мало ли в чем он клялся, когда приходил в возбу­
ждение! Так у ж повелось у скотоводов и охотников.
Обуреваемые чувствами, они не считались со словами.
Для Иакова же клятва была незыблемой и священной,
и он твердо верил, что приобрел право первородства.
Исав с восторгом принялся за еду, не подозревая,
какие роковые последствия повлечет за собой его лег­
комыслие.
3. К о сидо вский, Библейские ска зания
Midas’s ears
Мидасовы уши
Apollo, the god of music and poetry, once found
himself engaged in a musical contest with Pan, the god
of flocks and shepherds. Midas, king of Phrygia, was
the judge of the contest, and he awarded the prize to
Pan, in spite of the marked inferiority of his playing.
117

Apollo was so incensed by this injustice, that lie de­
termined to show his opinion of the ignorant judge by
causing large-sized ass’s ears to grow on either side
of his head.
Greatly dismayed by these new ornaments, Midas
retreated into the privacy of his own apartment, and
sent in haste for a barber, who, after having been
sworn to secrecy, was admitted and bidden to make
a huge wig, which would hide the deformity from the
eyes of the king’s subjects. Before he was allowed to
leave the palace, the barber was again charged not to
reveal the secret, under penalty of immediate death.
But a secret is difficult to keep, and this one, of the
king ’s long ears, preyed upon the poor b arber’s spirit,
so that, incapable of enduring silence any longer, he
went out into a field, dug a deep hole, and whispered
into the bosom of the earth, “King Midas has ass’s
ears.”
Unspeakably relieved by the performance, the
barber returned home.
Time passed. Reeds grew over the hole, and, as they
bent before the wind which rustled through their leaves,
they were heard to murmur, “Midas, King Midas, has
ass’s ears!” and all who passed by caught the whisper,
and repeated the words, so that the secret was not
a secret any longer.
The words the ears of Midas are used to denote
ignorance and stupidity that can ’t be concealed.
Pronunciation and stress:
Midas ['maidass], Apollo [a'polou], Phrygia ['fridjia],
incensed [in'senst], inferiority [in,flari'oriti], privacy
['praivssi], penalty ['penalti], bosom ['buzam]
Translate into English:
Аполлон пригласил фригийского царя Мидаса
быть судьей во время его состязания с Паном. И не
согласился царь с решением Муз — приятней была
ему музыка фригийского сатира. Разгневался тогда
Аполлон и наградил его ослиными ушами, ведь толь­
ко глупец мег отдать предпочтение его сопернику.
Пришлось отныне Мидасу постоянно ходить в шап­
ке, чтобы скрыть свои длинные уш и .. Никому не из­
вестна была тайна Мидаса, кроме его цирюльника.
118

Но тому приказано было молчать. Долго крепилсй
цирюльник и все-таки не выдержал: вырыл ямку в
саду и еле слышно прошептал туда: «У царя Мидаса
ослиные уши», а затем засыпал ямку землей. На этом
месте вырос тростник, который и поведал об этом сек­
рете всему свету. И до сих пор, когда хотят сказать
о глупости или невежестве, которые невозможно
скрыть, вспоминают Мидасовы уши.
Ф. Арский, В стране мифов
Money has no smell
Деньги не пахнут
The proverb money has no smell is ascribed to Ves­
pasian, an emperor of Rome. Suetonius, a Roman histo­
rian, writes that the.words were used by Vespasian on
the following occasion. When the emperor’s son Titus
reproached his father for h aving introduced a tax on
public lavatories, Vespasian told him to smell the mon­
ey he was holding in his palm, and to see if the smell
was foul. On being told that it was not, Vespasian
remarked that the money was of the urine for it had
been just paid as the tax on lavatories.
Pronunciation and stress:
Vespa sian [ves'peijjan].,
Titus ['taitas], Suetonius
[swi:'tounjas], emperor ['етрэгэ], lavatory ['laevatari],
urine ['juarin]
119

The following sentences make up a story. Translate them into
English a nd retell the story:
1. Выражение деньги не пахнут приписывается
римскому императору Веспасиану. 2. Как передает
Светоний, слова эти были сказаны Веспасианом по
следующему поводу. 3. Сын Веспасиана Тит упрекнул
отца в том, что он ввел налог на общественные убор­
ные. 4. В ответ Веспасиан поднес к его носу деньги и
спросил, пахнут ли они. 5. Услышав отрицательный
ответ Тита, Веспасиан сказал, что эти деньги только
что поступили как налог на уборные.
My better half
Моя половина (жена)
The words my better half are used as a synonym for
a wife, man and wife being theoretically one. The
words are a translation loan from Horace and are to
be found in Arcadia, a poem by Sir Philip Sidney pub­
lished in 1580. The idea of my better half as a wife is
anticipated in an old Oriental story of a bedouin whose
wife pleaded for him in the following words: “O Great
Prince, it is not my whole husband who has rendered
himself guilty towards thee. It is but the half of him
that has committed the insult; for am I not the other
half — I who have never offended thee? Now the guilty
half places itself under the protection of the innocent
half and the latter cannot suffer the former to be pun­
ished.”
Pronunciation and stress:
Horace ['horss], Arcadia [u/keidja], Sidney ['sidni],
close (adj) [klous], bedouin ['beduin], in su lt (n) ['insAlij
Notes:
HALF, HALF OF. Both half and half of can be used to
denote one of two roughly equal parts, half is more
usual in this case: half of the work and half the work.
To denote one of two quite equal parts, exactly fifty
per cent, only half can be used: half an hour (30 min­
utes), half a kilogram (500 grams). C f half the book
(e. g. fifty of a hundred pages the book contains) and
120

half of the book (about or over, but not necessarily
exactly fifty pag e s).
BEDOUIN. The noun is usually unchanged in the plu­
ral: one, two, ten bedouin.
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the statements and the questions.
1. Слова моя половина употребляются шутливо,
когда речь идет о жене. 2. Первоначально слова эти
употреблялись для обозначения близкого друга.
3. Выражение считается калькой из Горация. 4. Из­
вестно, что это выражение встречается у английского
поэта XVI века Сиднея в поэме «Аркадия». 5. В зна­
чении ‘ж ена’ выражение моя половина, возможно, свя­
зано с восточной сказкой о бедуине и его жене. 6. Ж е ­
на бедуина умоляла своего господина простить ее
мужа за нанесенное оскорбление. 7. Она говорила,
что муж ее только частично виноват в содеянном, так
как она и муж составляют единое целое. 8. И теперь,
говорила женщина, невиновная половина вступается
за виновную, умоляя пощадить ее.

*11
И
й
Noah’s ark
The ancient Bible legend of the Great Flood runs
thus: the earth was corrupt and wicked, and God de­
cided to punish men by sending a great deluge and
drowning them all. But there was a righteous man
called Noah and his three sons, whom God did not like
to destroy with the rest. Therefore he told Noah about
the oncoming flood and ordered the m an to make an
a rk of wood (the building instructions are dealt with in
•great detail in the biblical story), and of every living
thing to bring into the ark two of every sort, male and
female, to keep them alive. When after forty days and
nights the rain had ceased, and the flood had passed
away, Noah let a raven fly from the only window of
the ark, and the bird soon returned, for the earth was
still covered with water. Then he sent out a dove, but
it also came back. Seven days later Noah let it fly
again, and this time it returned bearing in its beak a
leaf of olive. This meant that the bird had found a dry
spot. Noah and his family, and the anim als that had
122

been sheltered in the vessel, came out to start afresh
in the world.
The phrase Noah’s ark is used figuratively as a place
of safety, a means of rescue.
Pronunciation and stress:
Noah [поиэ], cease [sirs], dove [dAv], deluge ['deljurd^]
Notes:
CEASE, STOP. The synonyms differ in the shade of
m eaning. Cease means ‘stop doing for ever or for a very
long time’. Stop can imply a temporary interruption of
an action. Thus one’s love may cease, but scarcely stop.
Besides cease is never used as the predicate in a sen ­
tence the subject of which is expressed by a concrete
noun: A train stops but does not cease; the noise it
makes both stops and ceases.
Render the text in English:
Выражение Ноев ковчег, возникшее из библейской
легенды о всемирном потопе, употребляется в значе­
нии: безопасное место, средство спасения.
Бог решил истребить все, что жило на свете, как
людей, так и животных, чтобы положить конец их гре­
ховному существованию. Одий только Ной, муж пра­
ведный, полюбился господу. У Ноя было три сына,
которые тоже не свернули с праведного пути. По ука­
занию бога Ной построил ковчег, в котором было
только одно окно и одна дверь.
Едва бог увидел, что ковчег готов, он возвестил,
что снизошлет на землю потоп. Бог решил спасти
только Ноя с женой и троих сыновей с женами, а
также по одной паре от всех четвероногих, пресмы­
кающихся и птиц. Ной согнал в ковчег зверей, погру­
зил всякую пищу и заперся в ковчеге вместе с
семьей.
Через семь дней начался проливной дождь, про­
должавшийся сорок дней и сорок ночей. Погибло все
живое: люди, звери, птицы. Только Ноев ковчег дер ­
ж ался на поверхности бескрайнего водного простран­
ства.
Дождь наконец прекратился, но вода спадала очень
медленно и в течение многих дней не было видно ни
123

клочка суши. Ной выпустил через окно ворона, чтобы
узнать, найдет ли он сушу, но птица вскоре вернулась.
Затем Ной выпустил голубку, но и она вернулась, не
найдя места, где бы смогла отдохнуть. Спустя семь
дней он снова ее выпустил, и тогда под вечер она вер­
нулась, держа в клюве оливковую ветвь, и это озна­
чало, что на земле кое-где уже обнажилась суша.
3. Косидов ский, Библейские ск азания

The olive branch
Оливковая ветвь
As a symbol of peace and security the olive branch
is said to date from the biblical legend of the Flood,
when the dove returned to Noah’s ark with an olive
leaf. So Noah knew that the flood had passed away.
(See: No ah ’s ark.)
125

For cenfurics a branch of the olive-tree has been a
symbol of peace. In Greece and Rome, those who d e­
sired peace used to carry an olive branch in their hand.
To hold out the olive branch means to make approaches
for peace or a reconciliation.
“Why did he come all the way here?”
“He wanted to see me.”
“What did he want?”
“He was holding out an olive branch. He said
he wanted to make some sort of settlement.”
E. S. Gardner, The Case of the Negligent Nymph
He read his National Geographical Magazine.
I read mine, and for some minutes matters pro­
ceeded along these lines. Then I thought to my­
self: “Oh, well, dash it,” and decided to extend
the olive branch.
P. G. Wodehouse, Laughing Gas
In short, gentlemen, I come to you bearing an
olive branch. You snatch it out of my hand and
start belaboring me with it.
E. S. Gardner, The D. A. Takes a Turn Chance
Pronunciation and stress:
No ah [nous], dove [dAv], reco nciliation [декэпэг-
li'eijan]
Notes:
CENTURY, AGE. The words may be translated into
Russian by one and the same word век. However, they
are not synonyms. Century denotes a period of one
hundred years; age, a period of time, usually a long
one: the twentieth century is the age of atom.
The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
1. Оливковая ветвь издавна служила эмблемой
мира. 2. В библейском мифе о всемирном потопе Ной,
укрывшийся с семьей и животными в ковчеге, желая
узнать, кончился ли потоп, выпустил ворона. 3. Ворон
возвратился, так как вода еще покрывала землю.
4. З атем Ной выпустил голубку, но и она вернулась.
126

5. Через семь дней голубка, выпущенная вторично,
вернулась в ковчег с оливковой веткой в клюве, по
которой Ной узнал, что потоп кончился. 6. В древнем
мире побежденный в бою, обращаясь с предложением
о мире, протягивал оливковую ветвь.
One swallow does not make a spring
Одна ласточка не делает весны
The expression one swallow does not make a spring
is drawn from one of Aesop's fables (though, of course,
it is equally likely that Aesop made up the fable to
illustrate an established proverb). The moral it con­
tains is — don’t make hasty conclusions. In Aesop’s
fable, a young spendthrift who has squandered his fath­
er’s fortune sells in the end his last property —
a cloak, when he sees one swallow that has returned
from the south. But soon afterwards a heavy frost
comes again and the young m an curses the swallow
which has heralded spring.
Pronunciation and stress:
Aesop ['i:sop], m oral ['moral]
Notes:
IN THE END, AT THE END OF. These adverbial phrases
differ semantically: in the end means finally, after all;
at the end of—in the last part of: In the end they
reached a place of safety, Phoenix was said to rise
from its ashes at the end of every five hundred years.
Open, Sesame!
Сезам, отворись!
Open, Sesame is the magic formula mentioned in the
Arabian Nights’ tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Robbers
which would open or shut the door leading ii.lo the
cave of the robbers. The words denote something that
unfailingly opens or admits; a key to solving a diffi­
culty.
127

Mrs. Habberfield, coming to a small iron g rat­
ing, exchanged some words with my companions,
which produced as much effect as “Open, Ses­
ame!” of nursery renown.
E. C. Brewer, The Reader’s Handbook
of Famous Names in Fiction
Pronunciation and stress.
Ali Baba ['aeh'ba.'ba], Sesame ['sesami], A rabian
[e'reibj an]
Notes:
MAGIC, MAGICAL The words are usually interchanged,
but in some cases they can be discriminated. Cf.:
magic words, magic touch, magic formula and magical
result, magical recovery. In the given examples magic
m eans producing wonderful effects, magical — achieved
through magic, as if with the help of supernatural pow­
er.
Render the text in English:
Выражение Сезам, отворись! заимствовано из
арабской сказки Али Баба и сорок разбойников. Ге­
рой сказки Али Баба идет в лес за дровами. Случай­
но ему удается подглядеть, как сорок разбойников
направляются к пещере, двери которой раскрываются
перед ними после того, как атаман произносит: Сезам,
отворись! Али Баба, воспользовавшись этими слова­
ми, тоже проникает в пещеру, оказавшуюся складом
награбленных разбойниками ценностей, и становится
обладателем многих сокровищ. Выражение Сезам от­
во ри сь! употребляется в значении ‘заветное слово, по­
могающее проникнуть куда-либо, средство для пре­
одоления любых препятствий’.

Pandora’s box
Ящик Пандоры
Pandora’s box is a synonym for a present which
seems valuable, but which is in reality a source of all
trouble. The phrase comes from a Greek myth recorded
by Hesiod. After Prometheus had stolen fire from
heaven and given it to people, Zeus determined to coun­
teract this blessing. He ordered Hephaestus to make
a woman out of earth upon whom the gods bestowed
their choicest gifts. Hephaestus gave her a human
voice; Aphrodite, beauty and powers of seduction; Her­
mes, cunning and the art of flattery. She had or found
a jar, the so-called “Pandora’s box” containing all
kinds of misery and evil. Zeus sent her to Prometheus,
but the latter distrusted Zeus and his gifts and refused
to open the box. However, his brother, forgetting the
warning of Prometheus to accept no present from Zeus,
married the beautiful Pandora. Pandora opened the jar,
or enticed her husbands’s curiosity to open it, and all
manner of evils flew out over the earth.
139

Pronunciation and stress:
Pandora [paen'do.'ra], Prometheus [pra'mi:0ju:s],
Zeus [zju:s], H epha es tu s [hi'fiistas], H erm es ['h3:mi:z],
Hesiod j'hksiod], evU [i:vl], Aphrodite [^fra 'd aiti]
Note s:
VALUABLE, INVALUABLE, VALUELESS . The adjectives
invaluable and valueless are often confused in careless
speech, probably through their seeming likeness: both
have a negative affix and are derived from the same
root. However, the two words are opposite in meaning.
Invaluable means ‘exceedingly valuable, priceless’;
valueless is used to describe something worthless,
having no value at all.
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers and using both the statements and the
questions, conduct a two-way translation.
1.
Ящик Пандоры — источник всевозможных не­
счастий, неприятностей. 2. Выражение восходит к древ­
130

нему мифу, записанному греческим поэтом Гесиодом.
3. Прометей похитил у богов огонь и отдал его лю­
дям. 4. З а эго разгневанный Зевс прислал на землю
Пандору — прекрасную девушку, созданную по его
повелению богом огня Гефестом. 5. Пандо ра получила
от Зевса ларец, в котором были заперты все челове­
ческие несчастья. 6. Несмотря на предупреждение,
Пандора из любопытства открыла ларец, и все чело­
веческие несчастья вылетели оттуда. 7. Таким обр а­
зом с помощью Пандоры Зевс отомстил человечеству.
Panic fear (terror)
Панический страх
In Greek mythology, P an w as the god of flocks and
herds, of fields and forests. His father is generally said
to be Hermes and his mother — a charming young
nymph named Penelope. When his mother first saw
him, she was aghast, for he was the ugliest little crea-
ture she had ever seen. His body was all covered with
goat’s hair, and bis feet and ears were also those of
a goat. Amused at the sight of this grotesque little di-
vinity, Hermes carried him off to Olympus, where little
Pan "managed to please all the gods and make them
laugh.
Pan w as widely worshipped in old times, and the
ancients decked his altars with flowers, sang his
praises, and celebrated festivals in his honour. Pa n is
represented as more or less bestial in shape, generally
having the horns, legs and ears of a goat. His activi­
ties are those of a giver of fertility, and he is vigorous
and lustful.
But sometimes he liked to be by himself, and would
not suffer his solitude to be broken: he generally terrb
fied those approaching him at such a time, and made
them very excited. Hence Panic fear, or terror, is sud­
den, extreme and groundless fear, such as Pan was
supposed to cause.
Pronunciation and stress:
Hermes ['ha:mi:z], Penelope [pi'nelapi], Olympus
[ou'h mp as], ridicule [ ridikju:!]
131

FOREST, WOOD. The nouns differ in that a forest is
large and a wood is not necessarily so; besides only
forest m ay be used figuratively, as a forest of hands,
a forest of chimneys, a forest of masts.
Notes:
The pass of Thermopylae
Фермопилы
Thermopylae is a scene of the heroic defence put up
by the Spartan King Leonidas and his 300 soldiers
against the Persian army of Xerxes in 480 B.C . In
that year, Xerxes and a great Persian army crossed the
Hellespont (a narrow strait between Asia Minor and
Europe, now called the Dardanelles) and threatened
Central Greece. The Persians could not cut straight
across the country because a ridge of mountains barred
their way. The Greeks thought that the army of Xerxes
would penetrate by the narrow pass of Thermopylae, or
the Hot Gates, called so because of a number of springs
of warm mineral water. Leonidas w as sent with about
7,000 men to hold the pass against the Persian army.
Leonidas repulsed the attacks of the Persians for sev­
eral days; but when the Persians came by a mountain
track to the rear of the Greeks, he divided his army»
himself remaining in the pass with 300 Spartans. The
little Greek army, attacked from both sides, w as cut
down to a man. Leonidas fell in the thickest of the fight;
his htad was afterward cut off by Xerxes’ order and his
body wTas crucified. Later the Greeks were buried where
they had fallen. On this spot was set a memorial tablet
with the words: “ Stranger, tell the Spartans that we
lie here in obedience to their laws.”
Our knowledge of the circumstances is too slight to
judge of Leonidas’ strategy, but his heroism and devo­
tion secured him an almost unique place in the im agi­
nation of many generations.
Pronunciation and stress:
Thermopylae [Bar'mopili], Leonidas [li(:)'on[d(Es].
Xerxes ['za:ksi:z], Hellespont ['helispont], D ardanelles
132

f/darcta'nelz], b ury ['beri], tablet ['tasblit], crucify
['krursifai], u nique [ju:'ni:k]
Not es:
ALIVE, LIVING , LIVE. The three words are similar in
that they are derived from one verb ‘to live’. However,
they should be clearly distinguished. A live — not
dead — is used only predicatively, as in to be alive.
Living and live [laivjare more difficult to discriminate.
One should remember that living means contemporary,
existent nowadays, still in use, as the greatest living
writer, living languages. Live means not dead, not piC'
tured, stuffed, not a toy, as a live fish, a live crocodile,
a rea l live buglar.
The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
1. Фермопильское ущелье — это горный проход,
соединяющий северную и центральную Грецию.
2. В 408 г. до н. э. в период греко-персидских войн
персы под командованием Ксеркса пересекли Геллес­
понт и тем самым создали угрозу центральной Гре­
ции. 3. Однако персидская армия вынуждена была
остановиться перед горным хребтом, через который
вел единственный узкий проход — Фермопильское
ущелье. 4. Греческий отряд под командованием спар­
танского царя Леонида три дня героически оборонял
Фермопилы. 5. Но все воины Леонида пали на поле
битвы, и персам удалось проникнуть в центральную
Грецию. 6. В современном язы ке встретить свои Ф ер­
мопилы — погибнуть, отстаивая свои идеалы, свои
убеждения.
Penelope’s web
Пряжа Пенелопы
Penelope’s web is work that never progresses. Pe­
nelope, a celebrated princess of Greece, was the wife of
Odysseus (the Romans call him Ulysses), a king of
Ithaca, famed for his cunning, wisdom and eloquence.
One day Odysseus went off to take part in the siege of
133

Troy. The siege of Troy lasted for ten years, and ten
more years the sea-god Poseidon kept Odysseus from
home. All told, he was away for so long that everybody
thought he must have been killed. The princes of Ithaca
and m any near-by islands wished Penelope to m arry
one of them; but Penelope, still hoping that her hus­
band would return, rejected their proposals. To put off
her suitors she told them that she could not marry
again, even if Odysseus were dead, till she had finished
weaving a shroud for her aged father-in-law. All day
she worked at the loom, but at night she unravelled
all she had woven. She had done this until one of her
maids had betrayed her to her suitors, and Penelope
was forced to finish her weaving. Fortunately Odysseus
returned home just in time to prevent the marriage
and to punish the suitors.
Pronunciation and stress:
Penelope [pi'netapi], Odysseus [a'disjuis], Ulysses
[ju(:)'bsi:z], Troy [troi], Ithaca ['|0экэ], shroud [Jraud],
unravel [un'rasvalj
Notes:
ISLAND, ISLE. The two words are etymologically differ­
ent: island is Anglo-Saxon, and isle is of Latin origin.
In the modern language island is the more general of
the two. Isle denotes a small island and is used in
poetry, except in some proper names: the British Isles,
the Japanese Isles, the Isle of Wight. There are cases,
however, in which island, not isle is used with a proper
name: the Philippine Islands, the Greater Sunda
Islands (Java, Sumatra, etc.), the Lesser Sunda
Islands.
Render the text in English:
Выражение пряжа Пенелопы, употребляющееся в
значении ‘нескончаемый труд’, восходит к поэме древ­
негреческого поэта Гомера «Одиссея». Во второй песне
«Одиссеи» рассказывается о том, как Пенелопа, вер­
ная жена Одиссея, старалась отвадить многочисленных
женихов, которые во время долгих странствий Одис­
сея добивались ее руки. Пенелопа заявила женихам,
134

что выйдет вторично замуж лишь тогда, когда закон­
чит начатую работу. Целый день она проводила за
тканьем, а ночью распускала все, что наткала за
день.
The Periclean age
Век Перикла
The Periclean age is called after Pericles, a famous
Athenian statesman and military commander of the
fifth century В. C. During the time of Pericles Athens
became the leading state of Greece and the centre of
Greek civilization. It was the time when many of the
finest buildings of the Acropolis were built, when many
celebrated philosophers and writers lived. The glory
of ancient Greek literature is in the dramatic field of
tragedy; and in this field there were three great Greeks:
Aeschylus, Sophocles .and Euripides. Aeschylus wrote
between seventy and ninety tragedies. Only seven have
come down to us, among them Prometheus Bound and
Seven against Thebes. Of Sophocles’ numerous trage*
dies, also seven have been preserved; these are Antigone,
Oedipus the King, etc. The best of the tragedies by
Euripides are Medea, Iphigenia at Taurus, Electra. In
the Periclean age Athens boasted of renowned thinkers,
am ong whom w as Socrates, a celebrated philosopher.
Herodotes, a famous history writer, “ father of history’*
was the author of the first Greek work to be written in
prose. Phidias, the supreme sculptor of Greece, made
a lot of huge statues. The two most famous are the
figure of Zeus, father of the gods, set up in the temple
of Olympia, and that of the goddess Athene, in the
Parthenon. Both were in wood, covered with plates of
gold and ivory.
Pronunciation and stress:
Pericles ['penkli:z], Periclean [peri'kliran], Athens
['aeBinz], Athe na [a'Qima], Athe nia n [a'Giinjan], Acropolis
[a'kropalis], A eschylus ['kskilas], Sophocles ['sofakliiz],
Euripides [jua'ripidi.-z], Socrates ['sokrati.-z], Herodotus
Ihe'rodatas], Phidias ['fidiaes], Zeus [zju:s], Olympia
135

[ou'limpia], Parthenon [/ра:01пзп], Prometheus [pra'mi:-
0ju:s], Thebes [0i:bz], A ntigo ne [aen'tigom], O edipus
['i.-dipas], Medea [mi'dia], Iphigenia [i,fid3i'naia], Ta u ru s
|'to:ras], Electra [i'lektra]
Notes:
GOLD, GOLDEN , GILDED .The words are close in mean­
ing, but are not to be easily interchanged. Remember
that gold means ‘made of gold’, golden suggests both
‘m ade of gold’ and ‘looking like gold’ (gold is more
usual than golden in the sense ‘made of gold’): a gold
(golden) ring, golden hair, golden is often used m eta­
phorically as in a golden wedding, the golden mean
(neither too much, nor too little). Gilded means ‘covered
with gold’: a gilded pill (in old times, a bitter pill
covered with gold to make it less bitter). Gilded is
used in some set expressions, as gilded youth (rich
young people living a life of pleasure), gilded chamber
(the other name for the House of Lords).
Make up questions in English to which the following sentences
would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both the state­
ments and the questions.
1. Веком Перикла называют век расцвета литера­
туры, науки и искусства. 2. Перикл был известным
государственным деятелем и полководцем Афин в пе­
риод их расцвета. 3. При Перикле в Афинах велось
широкое строительство с участием виднейших архи­
текторов и художников Греции. 4. При нем был по­
строен П арфенон и другие выдающиеся памятники
архитектуры. 5. Афины превратились в экономиче­
ский, политический и культурный центр греческого
мира. 6. При Перикле создавали свои произведения
выдающиеся драматурги: Эсхил, Софокл, Еврипид.
7. Их произведения частично дошли до нас. 8. Про­
славленный философ Сократ и «отец истории» Геро­
дот также жили в эпоху Перикла. 9. Замечательный
древнегреческий скульптор Фидий создал статуи Афи­
ны и Зевса. 10. Статуя богини Афины находилась в
Парфеноне, а статуя Зевса — в храме Зевса в О лим­
пии. 11. Эти монументальные статуи не сохрани­
лись.
J3S

Phoenix rising from the ashes
Феникс, возрождающийся из пепла
Phoenix rising from the ashes is the emblem of
rejuvenation and immortality, that which reappears
after apparent destruction. The phrase owes its origin
to the story of a fabulous Arabian bird, said to have
lived for five hundred years. The myth of phoenix found
its way into ancient Greece. It has been much talked
about and described in stories of the ancients. At the
end of every five hundred years the phoenix built a fire
which it fanned into a blaze by flapping its wings;
there it sat on the flames, and was burnt to ashes. But
while the ashes were still hot, a new phoenix sprang
from them, and the fresh young bird began a new
existence of five hundred years.
You’re the only one here with the slightest
grip. You’ve risen up like a phoenix from the
asches of your pride. It’s quite, quite excellent —
an d infinitely pathetic.
N. Coward, Easy Virtue
137

“ Books can be burned,” croaked Black’.
“They have a way of rising out of ashes,”
said Andreus.
J. Thurber, The W onderful 0 .
Pronunciation and stress:
Rejuvenation [r^dguivi'neijan], A rabian [a'reibjan],
phoenix ['firmks], fabulou s ['faebjulss]
Translate into English:
Феникс — сказочная птица с великолепным опере­
нием, живущая в Аравийской пустыне. Миф о птице
Феникс перешел в Греций из Египта. Каждые пятьсот
лет птица Феникс сжигала себя на костре и снова воз­
рождалась из пепла. Отсюда феникс — символ веч­
ного возрождения и бессмертйя.
The Pillars of Hercules Геркулесовы столпы (столбы)
The pillars of Hercules was the name of two rocks
on opposite sides of the Strait of Gibraltar, one in
Europe and the other in Africa. According to the an-
cient myth, they were set up by Hercules and were re­
garded as the western boundary of the world. Hence,
any impassable limit can be referred to as the Pillars
of Hercules.
Pronunciation and stress:
Hercules ['hsrkjulirz], Gibraltar [dj/bro. -lta]
Render in English:
За быками Гериона и отправил своего могучего
слугу Геракла трусливый и жадный Эврисфей, когда
пришла тому пора совершить свой десятый подвиг.
Долго шел покорный Геракл на запад, через те
страны, где теперь лежат Франция и Испания. Он пе­
ребирался через высокие горы, переплывал бурливые
реки. Наконец достиг он места, возле которого Афри­
ка отделяется от Европы узким и глубоким проливом.
Через этот пролив Геракл перебрался с великим
трудом. В память о своем путешествии на обоих бере­
J33

гах он поставил по высокой, похожей на столб скале.
Мы теперь зовем эти скалы Гибралтаром и Сеутой.
В древности же их называли «Геркулесовыми столба­
ми». Они находятся так далеко от солнечной Греции,
что только хвастуны и лгуны осмеливались в те вре­
мена уверять, будто и они, как Геракл, доходили до
их подножий. Вот почему и посейчас, когда хотят ска ­
зать, что какой-нибудь человек много лжет и х ва­
стается, говорят: «Ну, он дошел до Геркулесовых
столбов».
В. и Л. Успенские, Мифы Древней Греции
Platonic love
Платоническая любовь
Platonic love denotes spiritual affection between a
man and a woman, without mixture of what is usually
called love. This pure affection was strongly advocated
by Plato, a famous Greek philosopher, who lived in
Athens about 427—348 В. C. Plato was a pupil of Soc­
rates, one of the wisest men of his age. Plato delivered
his lectures in a grove near Athens, called Academy
(the grove was said to have belonged to the legendary
hero Academus). This name was given to the school of
philosophy founded by Plato. Later the word academy
has come to denote a place of study, including univer­
sities. In English-speaking countries the word is gener­
ally used pretentiously or ironically of a school or of
an institution between a school and a university.
The noblest kind of love is love platonical.
G. Byron, Don Juan
Pronunciation and stress:
Plato ['pleitou], Platonic [pb'tonik], Socrates
['sokratirz], Academ u s [seka'dirmas], A th en s ['asQmzJ,
advocate (v) ['asdvakeit], Academy [a'kasdami]
Notes:
CALL, NAME. Both verbs are translated into Russian
by means of the same verb называть. Call and name
are close in meaning, but are not exactly synonyms.
139

Name means ‘give a name to a person or thing when
they come into existence’: io name the child Charley.
Call is not so much concerned with the name given to
a person or thing at its birth, but rather with that un­
der which it is popularly known: His name is Richard,
but ev erybody calls him Dick.
Translate the following questions into English and supply the
answers:
1. Какое чувство носит название платоническая
любовь? 2. Кто проповедывал такого рода любовь?
3. Кем был Платон? 4. Когда и где он жил? 5. Кто
был учителем Платона? 6. Как называлась философ­
ская школа, основанная Платоном вблизи Афин?
7. Каково происхождение слова академия?
A poor Job
Иов многострадальный
A poor Job is a person of inexhaustible patience; in
allusion to a legendary character in the Bible whose
history is poetically treated in the Book of Job. He is
said to have been a patriarch who lived near the Ara­
bian desert. He was repeatedly ruined, deprived of all
his possessions, bereaved of his children and smitten
with leprosy. His wife advised him to curse every­
thing and die. His friends gave him but critical, philo­
sophical advice. For a time he gave way to despair;
finally, however, by force of character he rose superior
to circumstances, and regained health, wealth and hon­
our.
Pronunciation and stress:
Job [djoub], Arabian [a'reibjan], inexhaustible
[/img'zD.’stabl], p atria rch ['peitricuk], desert ['dezat],
leprosy ['leprasi]
Notes:
ADVICE. The word is often misused. The difficulty
can be probably accounted for by the analogy with the
Russian word совет which unlike its English equivalent
has both the singular und plural forms. Care should
140

be taken not to use the word advice in the plural and
not to prefix it with the indefinite article. The English
for хороший совет is a piece of good advice; хорошие
советы — g o od advice.
The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
1. Выражение Иов многострадальный заимствова­
но из библии. 2. Оно употребляется в значении: чело­
век, безропотно переносящий бедствия. 3. В книге
Иова рассказывается о патриархе Иове, жившем
вблизи Аравийской пустыни и отличавшемся благоче­
стием. 4. Бог послал Иову множество испытаний: л и­
шил его богатства, детей, поразил проказой. 6. Иов
перенес все страдания безропотно.
The Procrustean bed
Прокрустово ложе
(the bed of Procrustes)

Procrustes is a Greek word that means ‘torturer*
or ‘stretcher’ According to mythology, Procrustes was
an ancient legendary robber who lived near Athens.
Under pretext of entertainment, he deluded travellers
into entering his home, where he had two beds of very
different dimensions — one unusually short, the other
unusually long. If the unfortunate traveller were a short
man, he was put to bed in the long bedstead, and his
limbs w'ere pulled out of joint to make him fit it; but
if, on the contrary, he were tall, he was assigned the
short bed, and the superfluous length of limb was
lopped off under the same pretext.
Taking Procrustes quite unawares, Theseus gave
him a faint idea of the sufferings he had inflicted upon
others by making him try each bed in turn, and then
to prevent his continuing these evil practices, put an
end to his wretched existence.
Hence, any forcible method of reducing people and
ideas to one standard is called placing them on the
Procrustean bed.
Pronunciation and stress:
Procrustes [pro'krAsti:z], Procrustean [pro'krAstkan],
Theseus ['0i:sju:s], Athen s ['aeGmz], evil [i:vl]
Notes:
ON THE BED, IN BED, GO TO BED .The word bed, like
the noun school, is one of those that can be used both
in their concrete m eaning and be part of the phrases
in which their literal m eaning is considerably lost.
When used in their concrete meaning, these nouns take
an article, but no article is to be used when the words
form part of a phrase. Thus on the bed means ‘on the
blanket, pillow, m attress’, etc. In bed suggests being
asleep or unwell. To bed means ‘in order to sleep’: to go
to bed at 11 o’clock, to put a child to bed. To be at
school or to go to school,
‘to study’; to be in the
sch ool,
‘to be within the walls of the school build-
ing’.
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the statements and the questions.
142

1. Прокруст — прозвище легендарного разбойника,
о котором рассказывают греческие мифы. 2. Разбой­
ник этот придумал особо мучительное истязание для
своих жертв. 3. У Прокруста было ложе, на него за ­
ставлял он ложиться всех, кто попадал ему в руки.
4. Если ложе было слишком длинно, Прокруст вытя­
гивал несчастного до тех пор, пока ноги жертвы не
касались края ложа. 5. Если же ложе было коротко,
то Прокруст обрубал несчастному ноги. 6. Разбойника
Прокруста убил греческий герой Тесей. 7. Тесей по ва­
лил Прокруста самого на ложе и убил его так, как
убивал злодей путешественников. 8. Выражение Про­
крустово ложе означает: мерка, под которую насиль­
ственно стараются подогнать что-либо.
A prodigal son
Блудный сын
A dissipated man, one who spends his time in
pleasure and extravagance, but afterwards repents and
is forgiven, may be referred to as a prodigal son. The
phrase comes from the Gospel parable of the Prodigal
Son. It runs thus: a m an divided his fortune between
his two sons. The younger son left the native place
and squandered his portion of the fortune. After a time
of want and poverty he came back to his father’s
house. The old man made a feast in his honour, killed
a fatted calf to welcome him home and gave him the
best clothes.
The elder son who was working in the field heard
the music and dancing and asked his father, “Why did
you never give me anything so that I might make mer­
ry with my friends? But as soon as your son came you
killed for him the fatted calf.” “ You are always with
me,” replied his father, “ and all that I have is yours.
But your brother was dead, and is alive again; he was
lost, and is found.”
The parable was the subject of many famous pic­
tures. The Prodigal Son is represented when leaving
home, feasting, begging, returning to his father’s house.
The last subject w'as treated by Murillo and Rembrandt.
143

"The Return of the Prodigal Son", one of the chief glo­
ries of the Hermitage, is a supreme masterpiece of
Rembrandt. (See also: Kill the fatted calf.)
At last he would return, like the prodigal son,
gloomy, worn out, and disgusted with himself ...
he would take me aside, quite spent, and begin his
confession.
R. Lynd, Books and Writers
Aunts Juley and Hester were on their feet at
once, trembling from smothered resentment, and
old affection bubbling up, and pride at the return
of a prodigal June!
J. Galsworthy, In Chancery
Pronunciation and stress:
Rem brandt ['rembraent], Murillo [mjua'rilou], parable
['рэегэЫ], h erm itage ['haimitidj] •
Prom ethean fire
Прометеев огонь
In Greek mythology, Prometheus was a Titan who
taught men the use of fire, and instructed them in
architecture, astronomy, m athematics, w riting and
other arls. The literal meaning of the Greek word pro-
tnetheus is ‘forethought’, and forethought it the father
of invention.
The story goes that Prometheus fashioned man from
clay. He molded an image similar in form to gods,
asked Eros to breathe into its nostrils the spirit of life,
and Athena Pallas to endow it with a soul. Proud of
his handiwork, Prometheus longed to bestow upon the
man some great power, which would raise him far
above all other living beings, and bring him nearer to
the perfection of the immortal gods. Fire alone, in his
estimation, could effect this. But fire was the special
possession and prerogative of the gods. Prometheus
knew they would never willingly share it with man, and
that, should anyone steal it, they would never forgive
the thief. Long he pondered the matter, and finally de­
termined to obtain fire, or die in the attempt.
144

One dark night he set
out for Olympus, entered
unperceived into the gods’
abode, seized a lighted
branch, hid it in his bo­
som, and departed unseen.
Arriving upon earth, he
gave the stolen treasure to
the man.
From his lofty throne
on the topmost peak of
Mount Olympus Zeus saw
an unusual light down
upon earth. He watched it
closely, and when he dis­
covered the theft, his anger
burst forth and he solemnly swore he would revenge
himself and punish Prometheus without mercy. He
seized Prometheus in his mighty grasp, carried him
to the Caucasian Mountains, and chained him fast to
a great rock. A voracious vulture was summoned to
devour his liver. He tore it by his beak and talons all
day. During the night, while the bird slept, the liver
grew again, and the torture had no end.
Generation after generation of men blessed Prome­
theus for the light he had obtained for them at such
a terrible cost.
After many centuries of woe, Heracles shot the vul­
ture, broke the chains and liberated Prometheus.
0 H, М. Эльянова
145

The myth of Prometheus is the subject matter of the
tragedy Prometheus Bound, by Aeschylus.
The phrase Promethean fire is used to denote a
sacred fire burning in the heart of a man and giving
him inspiration.
Pronunciation and stress:
Prometheus [pr9'mi:0ju:s], Promethean [pra'mLGjanl,
Titan ['taitan], Olympusjou'limpas], Heracles ['herakihzj,
Eros ['eras], Aeschylus |'i:skilas], devour [di'vaua], liver
['livaj, Zeus [zju:s], C au c a sian [ko:'keizjan], Ath en a
Pallas [э'бкпэ ^paelaes], endow [in'dau], bestow [bi'stou]
Notes:
REVENGE. Like the Russian equivalent отомстить
(мстить) the verb to revenge requires two objects —
a prepositional and a non-prepositional one: He revenged
his father’s death upon the murderer — он отомстил
убийце за смерть отца. Remember that the non-prepo­
sitional object in English corresponds to the preposi­
tional one in Russian, and vice versa. The reflexive
verb revenge can be used with or without a preposition­
al object, e. g. / shall revenge myself.
Make up questions in English to which (he following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the statements and the questions.
1. Прометей в греческой мифологии — один из ти­
танов. 2. Он похитил с неба огонь и отдал его людям.
3. З а это разгневанный Зевс приковал Прометея
к скале. 4. Каждый день к скале прилетал огромный
орел и клевал печень узника. 5. Это продолжалось до
тех пор, пока Геркулес не убил орла и не освободил
Прометея. 6. Подвиг и страдания Прометея явились
темой известной трагедии Эсхила «Скованный П р оме­
тей». 7. Возникшее на основе этого мифа выражение
прометеев огонь употребляется в значении: священ­
ный огонь, горящий в душе человека; стремление к до­
стижению высоких целей.
146

A Pyrrhic victory
Пиррова победа
A Pyrrhic victory is an empty victory, one so costly
as to be almost a defeat, a victory in which the victors
suffer almost as much as the vanquished. The reference
is to the defeat of the Romans by Pvrrhus at Asculum
in279В.C.
Pyrrhus was the king of Epirus, in Greece, a re­
nowned commander of his time and kinsman of Alex­
ander of Macedonia. He crosscd over to Italy with a
large army and succeeded in inflicting two severe de­
feats upon the Romans in 280 and 279 B.C . But in the
battle at Asculum his own losses were so great that
he was unable to follow up his successes. He is report­
ed to have said to those who came to cong ratulate him,
“ Another such victory and we are done for.” A year
later the army of Pyrrhus was utterly routed by the
Romans. Pyrrhus is said to have returned to Epirus,
where he was soon slain in a street fight with Mace­
donians. The victories and defeats of Pyrrhus are de­
scribed by Plutarch.
Pronunciation and stress:
Pyrrhus f'piras], Pyrrhic ['pirik], Asculum ['aeskabm]
Epirus [Vpaiaras], Macedonia [^maesi'douma], Alexan ­
der [/Selig'zamda], Plu ta rc h ['plu:ta:k], ro ut [raut]
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation .using both
the statements and the questions.
1. Эпирский царь П ирр был одним из крупнейших
полководцев древности и участвовал во многих значи­
тельных битвах. 2. В 280 и 279 гг. до н. э. Пирр одер­
жал победу над римлянами. 3. Но вторая победа
стоила ему стольких потерь, что, увидев свои поредев­
шие войска, Пирр воскликнул: «Еще одна такая побе­
да, и мы погибли!» 4. Действительно, год спустя рим­
ляне наголову разбили армию Пирра. 5. Он вернулся
в Эпир с остатком своего войска и вскоре был убит
в уличном столкновении с македонянами. 6. Победы
и поражения греческого полководца описаны П лутар­
хом в жизнеописании Пирра. 7. Выражение пиррова
победа употребляется для обозначения победы, рав­
носильной поражению.
6*

».Е«Я
т
.
m^i
A repentant Magdalene
Кающаяся Магдалина
A repentant Magdalene is a synonym for a woman
who has sinned, repented and reformed. The allusion is
to Mary Magdalene or Mary of Magdala who, accord­
ing to a Gospel legend, w as possessed by seven demons
and was delivered from them by Jesus, after which she
repented of her sins and became a dedicated follower
of Jesus. The legend was made popular by the painters
of the Italian School, in particular by Titian, Correggio,
Guido Reni. The name of the repentant Magdalene was
given to asylums for reformed prostitutes that came to
life in the Middle Ages.
Pronunciation and stress:
Magdalene [masgds'li.'m], M agdala ['maegdaiaj,
Jesus I'djiizss], Titian ['tijian], Correggio [ko'redso],
Guido Reni ['gwi:dou 'reinij, asylum [a'sailam]
Notes:
DEVOTE, DEDICATE . The two verbs have one and the
same Russian equivalent посвящать. The Russian verb
is polysemantic. It means both to give up oneself, one’s
148

life, abilities to a person or thing, and to put a per­
son's name at the beginning of a book. These two
m eanings are rendered by the verbs devote and dedi­
cate. In the first meaning both can be used, but dedi­
cate always implies some serious noble or sacred pur­
pose. Devote isn’t limited in its use: to devote (to dedi­
cate) one’s life to the service of one’s country, and to
devote too much time to amusement and games. In the
second meaning ‘dedicate’ must be used.
The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
1. Согласно евангельской легенде, Мария М агда­
лина была исцелена Иисусом, изгнавшим из нее семь
бесов. 2. После этого она раскаялась в своих грехах
и стала одной из самых преданных последовательниц
Иисуса. 3. Образ кающейся Магдалины был широко
популяризован
мастерами итальянской живописи.
4. Следует упомянуть прежде всего Тициана, Корре­
джо, Гвидо Рени, которые посвятили этому сюжету
свои картины. 5. По ее имени кающимися магдалина-
ми стали называть публичных женщин, раскаявшихся
в своей греховной жизни. 6. В средние века были со­
зданы приюты для таких женщин, именовавшиеся
приютами для кающихся магдалин.
То rest on one’s laurels
Почить на лаврах
The shiny leaves of laurel shrubs were used by the
Romans and Greeks as an emblem of victory, success
and distinction, hence laurels often symbolize victory
and honour. The metaphor to rest on one’s laurels
means to be satisfied with what one has already done
or obtained, not seek further victories.
He realized that he had fallen into the habit
of thinking that he could rest on his laurels. There
had been much activity in the past few years ...
he had begun to think he could rest for a bit.
A. Wilson, The Wrong Set
149

Wickham had been through the Boer War, and
had already won a D. С. M. and Military Medal in
this one. But he wasn’t resting on his laurels, and
having recently returned from a month’s ‘refresher
course’ at the army school, he was a complete
embodiment of the offensive spirit.
S. Sassoon, Sherstnn's Progress
Pronunciation and stress:
Emblem ['emblam], laure l [у1огэ1]
Translate into English:
Смысл выражения почить на ла вр а х: успокоиться
на достигнутых успехах, победах. Л ав ры в древней
Греции и Риме были символом славы. Лаврами увен­
чивали певцов, поэтов, победителей на войне и в спор­
тивных состязаниях.
Rich as Croesus
Богат, как Крез
Rich as Croesus is said of a man of great wealth.
It comes after the name of Croesus, the last king of
Lydia of 6th century B.C ., an extremely wealthy man.
The richcs of Croesus, obtained chiefly from the riv­
er gold dust, were greater than those of any king be­
fore him, so that his wealth became proverbial. He car­
ried his love of splendour to extravagance and thought
himself the happiest of men. His capital became the
brilliant ccntre of arts and letters. Various legends
were told about Croesus by the Greeks. One of them
has it that he once asked the philosopher Solon what
he thought of his good fortune. “ I pronounce no man
fortunate until his death,” was the sage’s reply. Later
a great army of Cyrus, king of the Persians and Medes
invaded Lydia. The Lydians were conquered, and Croe­
sus taken prisoner by Cyrus. When seated on the funer­
al pyre and about to be burned to death, he recalled
the words of Solon, and thrice repeated his name. Cyrus
demanded an explanation and, on hearing it, spared
his life.
150

Pronunciation and stress:
Croesus ['krhsos], Lydia ['lidia], Solon ['soub n]>
extravagance [iks'traevrpris], Cyrus ['saiaras]
Translate the following questions into English and supply the
answers:
1.
О ком можно сказать богат, как Крез? 2. Кем
был Крез, когда и где он жил? 3. Что было источни­
ком несметных богатств Креза? 4. Что вы можете ска­
зать об образе жизни Креза? 5. Чем стала Лидия во
времена Креза? 6. С именем какого философа связы­
вает легенда имя царя Лидии? 7. Что ответил Крезу
Солон, когда царь сказал ему, что он счастливейший
из людей? 8. Что случилось впоследствии с Крезом?
9. Какую роль в жизни Креза сыграла его встреча
с Солоном?
The riddle of (he sphinx
Загадка сфинкса
(the sphinx’s riddle)
The riddle of the sphinx is a synonym for an almost
insoluble riddle, something incomprehensible, enig m at­
ic. In mythology, it w as Oedipus (Aedipus) who fi­
nally guessed the riddle of the sphinx. The myth of
Oedipus runs thus: Laius, king of Thebes, was wrarned
by the Delphic oracle that his son would kill him and
then would marry his own mother. He therefore had
the child carried far away to a forest, and left there to
die. But Oedipus (or Swollen Foot) was found by
a peasant and taken to Corinth. Polybius, king of Co ­
rinth, lacking an heir of his own, adopted the child,
and Oedipus believed him and his wife to be his par­
ents. So when the Delphic oracle foretold him that in
the future he was to kill his father, m arry his mother,
and cause great woes to his native city, Oedipus, horri­
fied, decided to leave Corin th forever.
With a small group of followers he went to travel
over Greece. Once at the crossways his men picked
a quarrel with the servants of an aged man; the mas­
ters took sides of their servants, and in the ensuing
151

fight Oedipus killed the aged man, not knowing that
it was his father Laius. Thus the first part of the
prophecy came true.
In his wanderings Oedipus came to the city of
Thebes which was afflicted at the time with a winged mon­
ster, half a woman and half a lion. She crouched on a
rock near the city and pj^posed_riddles to the travellers,
killing those who cou1d"noT anlw erTier riddles. Oedipus
was not discouraged by the alarming accounts and
went to meet the sphinx on her own ground. The sphinx
asked him what wondrous creature goes on four feet
in the morning, at noon on two, and in the evening
upon three. Oedipus replied, “Man, who in childhood
crawls on hands and knees, in manhood walks erect,
and in the old age with the aid of a stick.” The sphinx
was mortified at her riddle having been solved, and
cast herself down from the rock. The road to Thebes
was free. The grateful Thebans invited Oedipus to be
their king instead of Laius, and Jocasta, the late king’s
widow, w as given him to wife. Thus Oedipus uncon­
sciously fulfilled the second part of the prophecy.
Oedipus was king for many years, and the Thebans
loved him, for he was good and just. But then the gods
sent down hunger and plague upon the city, and the
Delphic oracle said that the misfortunes would end only
when the killer of King Laius was turned out of Thebes.
Oedipus swore to find the man and thus save the peo­
ple; but when his. active investigation was completed, he
learnt the horrible truth, namely, that he himself was
not only the killer of Laius, but also the son of Laius
and Jocasta. Jocasta took her own life. Oedipus put out
his eyes (which offended him by not recognizing his
own parents) and went into exile by his will. The myth
of Oedipus is rendered by Sophocles in his tragedy
Oedipus the King.
Pronunciation and stress:
Oedipus ['i:dip9s], L aiu s [lap s], Thebes [0i:bz],
Delphic ['delfik], crou ch [krau t/], C orinth ['korinG],
Polybius [po'hbias], oracle ['orskl], wondrous ['wAndras],
mortify ['moitifai], prophecy ['profisi], Jo casta [djo-
'kaesta], Sophocles ['sofakli:z], plag u e [pleig], exile
['eksail]
152

The following
sentences
make up a story. Retell the sto­
ry in English.
1. В греческой мифо­
логии сфинкс — чудовище
с лицом и грудью женщи­
ны, туловищем льва и
крыльями птицы, обитаю­
щее на скале около Фив.
2. Сфинкс задавал путни­
кам трудные загадки и
убивал всех, кто не мог
разгадать их. 3. Эдипа,
сына фиванского царя,
сфинкс спросил: «Кто ут­
ром ходит на четырех но­
гах, днем на двух, а вече­
ром на трех?» 4. Эдип от­
ветил: «Это— человек, ко­
торый в детстве ползает на
четвереньках, в зрелом
возрасте передвигается на
двух ногах, а в старости
пользуется для опоры пал­
кой». 5. Посрамленный,
сфинкс не выдержал этого*'
и бросился вниз со скалы.
6. Отсюда выражение за ­
г а дк а сфинкса получило значение ‘что-либо непонят­
ное, трудно разрешимое’.
153

The root of all evil
Корень зла
The root of all evil is that which causes misfortune,
sorrow and distress; the source of various vices. It is
derived from the Bible. The biblical legend has it that
the root of all evil is the love of money and drunken­
ness.
He would not have thought it enough to say
that money is the root of all evil; he thought the
desire for money, the appetite for money, w as the
mainspring of human action.
W. S. Maugham, Ten Novels and Their Authors
As a matter of fact there was nothing of which
the church disapproved more than this habit,
shared by monks and nuns, of wandering about
outside their cloisters; moralists considered that
intercourse with the world was at the root of all
evil which crept into the monastic system.
E. Power, Medieval People
Pronunciation and stress:
Evil [i:vl], biblical ['bibhkal]
Translate into English:
Библейское выражение корень зла употребляется
для обозначения первоисточника зла. В евангелии го­
ворится, что корень всякого зла — это страсть к день­
гам и пьянство.
A round-table conference Совещание за круглым столом
A round-table conference is a formal discussion or
m eeting all the participants of which have perfectly
equal rights. It is associated with King Arthur and his
knights, the knights of the round table, so called from
the large circular table round which they sat. The table
was circular to prevent any heart-sore about precedence.
It was given to Arthur on his wedding-day by Merlin
the wizard. The knights of the round table, famed for
154

their valour, went into different countries in quest of
adventures and are said to have fought to put down
evil.
Pronunciation and stress:
Arthur ['а:0э], evil [i:vl], participant [pa/tisipant],
associate [a'soufieit], valour ['vaela], precedence [pri:-
'si:dans], Merlin ['тэ:Пп]
The Following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
1. Конференцией круглого стола называют совеща­
ние, все участники которого имеют совершенно равные
права. 2. Выражение связывается с рассказами о ле­
гендарном английском короле Артуре и его рыцарях.
3. Король Артур является героем многих народных
сказаний и занимает центральное место в цикле ры­
царских романов, известных под названием романов
круглого стола. 5. Круглый стол подарил королю Ар­
туру в день свадьбы его друг и покровитель волшеб­
ник Мерлин. 6. Он хотел, чтобы рыцари Артура, соби­
раясь вместе, не спорили из-за более почетного места
за столом. 7. З а круглым столом они были все равны,
потому что каждый из них по мере своих сил боролся
со злом и несправедливостью.

Betw een Scylla and Charybdis
Между Сциллой и Харибдой
The phrase between Scylla and Charybdis means
between two difficulties or two dangers equally serious:
if a person has escaped from one he runs into the other.
In the Odyssey Scylla is a dreadful sea monster, with
6 heads, 12 feet and a voice like the yelp of a dog. In
later authors and in art she is a mermaid, with dog’s
heads. She dwelt in a cave in a high rock, out of which
she stuck her heads, fishing for marine creatures, and
snatching the seamen out of passing ships. Within a
bowshot there was another rock under which dwelt
Charybdis, who thrice a day sucked in and thrice spout­
ed out the sea water. Between these rocks Odysseus
sailed, and Scylla snatched 6 men out of his ship.
In later classical times Scylla and Charybdis, whose
position is not defined by Homer, were localized in the
Straits of Messina, Scylla on the Italian, Charybdis on
the Sicilian side. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses Scylla ap­
pears as a beautiful maiden beloved by the sea deity Glau-
cus and changed by the jealous Circe into a sea mon­
ster. Another Scylla, sometimes identified with the sea
156

monster, was a daughter of Nisus, king of Megara.
Nisus had a purple lock of hair with magic power: if
preserved, it would guarantee him life and continued
possession of his kingdom. When Minos besieged Me­
gara, Nisus’ daughter Scylla fell in love with him; she
betrayed her city by cutting off her father’s purple
lock. Nisus was killed or killed himself and became
transformed into a sea eagle. Minos despised Scylla
and brought about her death either by dragging her,
tied, after the ship or by abandoning her, so that she
desperately swam after him and drowned. Scylla then
changed into a sea bird, constantly pursued by the sea
eagle.
Above all, we must abstain from all appearance
of pedagogy. The common reader dislikes the
schoolmaster, and resents any obtrusive piece of
instruction. We have therefore to steer, as cleverly
as may be, between Scylla and Charybdis.
E. E. Kellett, Literary Quotation and Allusion
Pronunciation and stress:
Scylla ['sib], Charybdis [ka'ribdis], Sicilian [si'siljan],
M essin a [m e'si:na], Ovid ['avid], Circe ['sa:si], Minos
['mainos], Odyssey ['odisi], Homer ['houma], Glaucus
['glo.-kas], Nisus ['naisss], Megara ['megara], deity ['di:ti],
jealous ['djebs], Metamorphoses [/metamo/fousKz]
Notes:
AT A DISTANCE, IN THE DISTANCE. It should be re­
membered that at a distance means ‘not too near, with
a certain space between two places or objects’: the pic­
ture looks better at a distance. In the distance means
‘far aw ay ’: a ship seen in the distance. Care should be
taken always to use a, not the in the first case: at a dis­
tance of two kilometers.
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the questions and the statements.
1. Выражение между Сциллой и Харибдой в о с х о ­
дит к древнегреческим мифам. 2. Один из мифов рас­
сказывает, что Сцилла и Харибда были чудовищами,
157

обитавшими в мессинском
проливе. 3. Они сидели на
прибрежных
скалах
и
поджидали мореплавате­
лей. 4. Завидев их, чудо­
вища бросались на них и
пожирали. 5. По преда­
нию Сцилла некогда была
прекрасной нимфой, кото­
рую Цирцея из ревности
обратила в страшное чу­
довище. 6. Сцилла броси­
лась в море и преврати­
лась в скалу. 7. По одно­
му из сказаний Харибда
была дочерью Нептуна.
8. Она похитила у Герку­
леса часть его стада и в
наказание была обращена
Юпитером в страшный во­
доворот. 9. Сцилла и Ха­
рибда описаны Гомером в
поэме Одиссея. 10. Гомер
рассказывает о страшной
опасности, которой под­
вергался корабль Одис­
сея, проходя между Сцил-
лой и Харибдой. 11. Выра­
жение между Сциллой и
Харибдой означает ‘на-

ходиться между опасно­
стями, грозящими с двух
сторон’.
Retell the following text in
English:
Много всяких бед при­
шлось претерпеть арго­
навтам, пока они добра­
лись до родного края.
Им пришлось прохо­
дить между двумя остро­
вами... Два свирепых чудо­
вища стерегли этот про­
ход — Харибда и Сцилла.
Харибда жила в мор­
ской глубине. Вода кипе­
ла и кружилась над ней,
и стоило живому сущест­
ву приблизиться, как из
воды высовывалась ж ад­
ная пасть и глотала це­
лые корабли с парусами
и мачтами.
На выстрел из лука
от
Харибды возвыша­
лась остроконечная скала

В ней была пещера. В этой пещере пряталась шести­
головая двенадцатилапая Сцилла. Сцилла высовы­
вала из пещеры свое страшное туловище, и все две­
надцать лап быстро шарили вокруг, вылавливали все
живое и отправляли в жадные пасти с тремя рядами
острых зубов.
Покровительница аргонавтов Гера бросила между
Харибдой и Сциллой свой золотой волосок и по этой
дорожке, не уклоняясь ни вправо, ни влево, «Арго»
миновал опасность.
В. См ирн ов а, Г срои Эллады
То serve God and Mammon Служить богу и Маммоне
Mammon comes from the Syrian word mammona
which means riches. It is believed that there was a god
of that name. It also occurs in the Gospel as the per­
sonification of worldly riches. The original meaning of
the phrase to serve God and Mammon was to try to be
righteous and to worship wrealth. In modern speech
the expression means to be divided between two con­
flicting principles, to do two incompatible things at
a time.
It was indeed a cause for rejoicing that in dis­
posing of their personal enemies they had done
an important service to the church. They proved
thus that it was in point of fact possible to serve
God and Mammon.
W. S. Maugham, Then and Now
Pronunciation and stress:
Mammon ['mseman], Syrian ['sinan], personification
[par/Somfi'keijan], righteous ['raitjas]
Notes:
WORLD, WORLDLY. The adjectives are not to be con­
fused. World means ‘affecting the whole world’: a world
power, world politics, world movements. Worldly im­
plies material things as opposed to spiritual: worldly
160

goods (property), worldly wisdom (practical mind).Cf.:
world-minded (having broad interests) and worldly-
minded (interested in material things).
Translate into English;
Слово маммона употреблялось в древнесирийском
языке для обозначения богатства. Первоначально вы­
ражение служить и богу и маммоне означало ‘пытать­
ся быть праведником и одновременно поклоняться зо­
лоту’. В современном языке выражение употребляется
в значении ‘заниматься двумя несовместимыми веща­
ми одновременно’.
In the seventh heaven
На седьмом небе
То be in the seventh heaven means to be supremely
happy; to be in a state of extreme happiness or satisfac­
tion. The phrase takes its origin in the belief of the Mo­
hammedans (recorded in the Koran) that there are sev­
en heavens around the earth, each more blissful than
its immediate inferior, the seventh heaven containing
God himself and his angels.
They motored up, taking Michael Mont, who,
being in his seventh heaven, was found by Wi­
nifred ‘very a musing ’.
J. Galsworthy, To Let
Duncan was in the very seventh heaven of de­
light when I told him about Lytton’s interview
with De-Lacre and the poor Frenchman’s precipi-
table flight.
D. Garnett, The Flowers of the Forest
Pronunciation and stress:
Mohammedans [mou'haemidanz], Koran [ko'ra:n],
inferior [m'fiaria]
Render the text in English:
Выражение на седьмом небе, означающее высшую
степень радости, блаженства, счастья восходит к свя­
161

щенной книге мусульман — корану, согласно которому
вокруг земли существует семь небес, причем седьмое,
самое высокое, является местопребыванием бога и ан­
гелов.
Seven wonders of the world
Семь чудес света
The ancients look,ed upon the following man-m ade
things as the seven wonders of the world: the Pyramids
of Egypt; the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (a series
of terraced gardens rising three hundred feet above
the ground, said to have been built by king Nebuchad­
nezzar to please, his wife, who wearied of the plains of
Babylon); the Temple of Diana at Ephesus burnt down
by Herostratbs who wanted to make himself famous; the
Statue of Jupiter by Phidias at Olympia; the Colossus
of Rhodes, a g igantic statue of bronze over one hundred
feet high, and towering above the entrance to the har­
bour; the Mausoleum, or tomb of Mausolus, at Halicar­
nassus; and the Pharos (lighthouse) of Alexandria.
So much has been written about the wonders of the
ancient world that it is hard to distinguish between his­
tory and fable. Only the Pyramids of Egypt still sur­
vive as wonders.
In metaphorical speech the words one of the seven
wonders of the world are applied to something really
wonderful or magnificent. The words gave rise to the
phrase the eighth wonder which is used ironically.
Pronunciation and stress:
*
Egypt I'i:d3ipt], Babylon ['baebibn], Nebuchadnezzar
f/tiebjuksd'neza], Diana [dai'aena], Ephesus ['efisas],
Herostratus [hi'rostratas], Phidias ['fidiaes], Olympia
[ou'limpia], Rhodes [roudz], Mausolus [ma'so:las], Hali­
carnassus [,haelikQ:'nses3s], pyramid ['piramid], series
['srari.’z], terrace ['teras], weary ['wiari], colossus
[ko'bsss], mausoleum ^moisa'liam], tomb [tu:m], pharos
['fearos]
The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
162

1. Семью чудесами света назы вались в древности
семь памятников строительного искусства и скульпту­
ры, поражавших современников своей грандиозностью
и великолепием. 2. К ним относятся: египетские пира­
миды, висячие сады в Вавилоне, храм Дианы Эфес­
ской, статуя колосса Родосского, статуя З евса работы
греческого скульптора Фидия, гробница Мавсола в Га­
ликарнасе и маяк на острове Фарос. 3. В образной
речи одним из чудес света называют что-либо замеча­
тельное, великолепное, выдающееся. 4. Отсюда же воз­
никло выражение восьмое чудо света, употребляемое
в том же значении, обычно иронически.
A Sisyphean labour (task, toil)
Сизифов труд
The phrase a Sisyphean labour describes an endless
and fruitless task. It comes from the name of Sisyphus,
a character in Greek mythology. Sisyphus was a son
of Aeolus, god of the winds, and the founder and king
of Corinth. He surpassed all in cunning and avarice
and gave offence to both Jupiter and Pluto, the god of
the lower world, by trying to cheat Death.
When Death came to fetch him, Sisyphus put him
into fetters so that no one died till Ares came and freed
Death, and delivered Sisyphus into his custody. But
Sisyphus was not yet at the end of his resources. For
before he died he told his wife that when he was gone
she was not to offer the usual sacrifice to the dead.
So in the underworld he complained that his wife was
neglecting her duty, and persuaded Hades to allow him
to go back to the upper world and punish her. But when
he got back to Corinth he did no such thing and lived
until he died of old age.
As a consequence, he was condemned after h aving
returned to the underworld to roll a heavy stone up a
steep hill; but before it reached the top of the hill the
stone always rolled down, and Sisyphus had to begin
all over again.
The reason for the punishment is not told by Homer.
According to some, he had revealed the secrets of the
163

gods to mortals; according to others, he was in the hab­
it of attacking and murdering travellers.
The legend is told by many of the ancient poets, in
particular by Homer in his poems the Iliad and the
Odyssey, and by Ovid in the Heroines.
Pronunciation and stress:
Sisyphus fsisifas], Sisyphe an [/sisi'fi(:)an], Co rinth
['korinO], Ares ['eari:z], Jupiter ['d^urpita], Hades
['heidi:z], H o m er ['houm a], Iliad ['ihad], Odyssey ['odisi],
Ovid ['ovid], av aric e ['sevaris]
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the statements and the questions.
1. Выражение Сизифов труд происходит от имени
мифического царя Сизифа. 2. Основатель и царь горо­
да Коринфа — Сизиф отличался необыкновенной хит­
ростью и скупостью. 3. З а оскорбление богов он был
осужден Зевсом на вечные страдания в царстве мерт­
вых — Аиде. 4. Сизиф должен был вкатывать на гору
тяжелый камень, который тотчас же скатывался вниз.
Render the following text in EngJish:.
Сизиф
Он катил на гору свой камень. Он поднимал его до
самой вершины, но камень опять скатывался вниз, и
все начиналось снова. Тогда он пошел на хитрость. Он
взял щепочку, подложил ее под камень, и камень
остался лежать на вершине. Впервые за много веков
он свободно вздохнул. Он вытер пот со лба и сел в
стороне, глядя на дело своих рук. Камень лежал на
вершине горы, а он сидел и думал, что труд его был
не напрасен, и был очень доволен собой.
Один за другим проходили века, и все тлк же стоя­
ла гора и леж ал камень, и он сидел, погруженный в
мысли о том, что труд его был не напрасен. Ничто не
менялось вокруг. Сегодня было то, что вчера. Завтра
будет то, что сегодня. У него отекли ноги и онемела
спина. Ему стало казаться, что если он еще немного
так посидит, то и сам превратится в камень.
164

Он встал и полез на гору. Он вытащил щепочку, й
камень с шумом покатился вниз, а он бежал за ним,
прыгая с уступа на уступ и чувствуя прилив новых
сил. У подножия горы он догнал камень и остановил
его. Потом поплевал на руки и покатил камень вверх,
к вершине горы...
Ф. Кривин, Божественные истории
Sodom and Gomorrah
Содом и Гоморра
Sodom and Gomorrah are mentioned in the Bible as
two of the five “cities of the plain” in the Dead Sea
region. They wrere overthrown on account of the wicked­
ness of their inhabitants, destroyed by a rain of fire and
brimstone. In modern speech the words are used as a
synonym for wickedness and disorder.
Pronunciation and stress:
Sodom ['sodam], Gom orrah [дэ'тзгэ], depravity
[di'praeviti]
Translate into English:
Содом и Гоморра являются символом беспорядка,
суматохи, распущенности. Согласно библейской ле­
генде, древние города Содом и Гоморра были р азру­
шены огненным дождем и землетрясением. Н а Содом
и Гоморру обрушился ливень серы и огня. Вся земля
сотрясалась, а города обратились в груды дымящихся
развалин. Никто из нечестивых горожан не спасся.
Над Содомом и Гоморрой воцарилось молчание
смерти.
Solomon’s judgement
Соломоново решение
The words Solomon’s judgement are applied to a
wise decision of a complicated problem. They derive
from the name of King Solomon notable for his judi­
cious decisions. In the Bible, King Solomon was a sage
165

whose reputation for wisdom spread to the ends of the
earth. Of the proofs of Solomon’s extraordinary wisdom
the most celebrated is the mode by which he settled a
dispute between two women for the possession of a
child. Both claimed to be the child’s mother. To distin­
guish the real from the pretended parent, Solomon o r­
dered the infant to be cut in two and divided between
the claimants. On hearing the order the real mother,
whose maternal affection overm astered all other feelings
begged that the child might be spared and given alive
to her rival, while the pretended mother w as quite ready
to agree to the bisection of the baby.
t
Pronunciation and stress:
Solomon ['sobman], problem ['problem], judicious
[djul-. /diJas], bisection [bai'sekjan]
Notes:
BABY, BABE, INFANT. The first two words are used to
describe a very young child. Baby is the more usual
of the two, babe generally occurs in poetry. When used
figuratively to speak of a grown-up person, бабу implies
childishness and means ‘behaving like a baby, in­
fantile’. Babe suggests inexperience and can be said of
those who are easily deceived. Infant is a child under
seven, thus an infant school is a school for children un­
der seven.
The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
1. Выражение Соломоново решение означает ‘муд­
рое решение сложного вопроса’. 2. Выражение осно­
вано на библейской легенде о царе Соломоне. 3. Царь
Соломон славился своей мудростью. 4. Однажды, как
рассказывает легенда, к царю Соломону пришли две
женщины с просьбой разрешить их спор о том, кто из
них является настоящей матерью ребенка. 5. Каждая
из них утверждала, что это ее ребенок. 6. Соломон
приказал разрубить младенца на две части и отдать
половину одной и половину другой женщине. 7. При
этом одна из женщин стала умолять не убивать ре­
бенка, соглашаясь, чтобы он был отдан другой. 8. Тог­
166

да Соломон сказал, что она настоящая мать ребенка,
так как не хочет его смерти, и приказал отдать мла­
денца ей.
Spartan upbringing
Спартанское воспитание
The citizens of Sparta, an ancient Greek city, were
famous for their bravery, discipline, and endurance. The
lives of Spartans were arranged by iron laws to make
a nation of soldiers. They were brought up by the state
in the spirit of self-denial, h ardship and obedience.
Their sports and exercises were regulated by the sever­
est discipline, and made up of labour and fatigue. They
went about barefoot, with their heads shaved, and
fought with one another naked. The Spartan men were
dauntless and faced danger and hardship without flinch­
ing. The people of Sparta (ancient Laconia) learned
to express themselves as briefly as possible, hence a
laconic person is a man of few words.
The phrase Spartan upbringing is used to describe
a very severe upbringing. (See also: Law of Lycurgus )
Pronunciation and stress:
Sparta ['sports], obedience [a'birdjans], fatigue
[f/ti:g], nak ed ['neikid], laconic [la'konik]
Notes:
NAKED, BARE. The two adjectives mean ‘not covered
with clothes’. Naked is said of a body as a whole,
bare — of part of a body: naked child, but bare chest,
sho ulde rs, head, feet.
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the statements and the questions.
1. Слова спартанское воспитание употребляются в
значении ‘суровое воспитание’. 2. Так воспитывали де­
тей в древней Спарте. 3. С семилетнего возраста детей
приучали к строжайшей дисциплине, трудностям и са­
моограничению. 4. Вырастая, спартанские юноши ста­
W

новились солдатами. 5. Они славились своей выносли­
востью и бесстрашием и смело шли навстречу труд­
ностям и опасностям.
Swan song
Лебединая песня
According to an old legend, a swan at the very end
of its life sings one last and very sweet song. Brehm
in The Life of Animals, summing up the legend, says
that it is founded on fact for the last sounds uttered by
a m ortally wounded swan really resemble a song. The
legend has given rise to the phrase swan song-, this is
generally applied to the last work of a poet or musician,
or other farewell performance. The phrase was frequent­
ly used by ancient writers. Thus it occurs in one of
Aesop’s fables, in Agamemnon, a tragedy by Aeschylus
where it is applied to the last words of the dying Cas­
sandra, in Cicero’s work Orator to characterize the last
speech of a man who died on delivering it. One of Gals­
worthy’s novels is given this name.
Pronunciation and stress:
'
Aesop ['i:sDp], Agamemnon [aega'memnan], Aeschylus
['i:skilas], C assandra [ka'saendra], Cicero ['sisarou],
Brehm [breim], G alsworthy ['go:lzwa:9i], Chekhov
['tjekof], sw an [swan], orator ['orata]
Note s:
LAST, LATEST a r e rendered in Russian by one word
последний and probably on this account are sometimes
confused. It should be remembered that last means com­
ing at the end of (in a line, row, succession), while
latest is applied to time and means most recent: last
page, but latest news.
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the statements and the questions.
1. Выражение лебединая песня употребляется в
значении ‘последнее произведение поэта, музыканта,
художника’. 2. Выражение встречается у древнегрече­
ских писателей Эзопа и Эсхила, у римского оратора
Цицерона. 3. Роман Голсуорси носит название «Лебе­
168

диная песня». 4. Выражение основано на древнем по­
верье, будто лебеди поют перед смертью. 5. Н емец ­
кий зоолог Брем пишет, что сказание о лебединой
песне очень правдоподобно, так как последние вздохи
смертельно раненного лебедя действительно напоми­
нают песню.
The sword of Damocles
Дамоклов меч
The phrase the sword of Damocles denotes a threat­
ening danger. It derives from an old Greek legend
retold by Cicero. Damocles was a courtier of Dionysius
the Elder, of Syracuse, a cruel tyrant. Damocles envied
Dionysius and often flattered him by extolling his hap ­
piness. Once he was invited by the tyrant to a splendid
banquet to try felicity he so much envied. He was
169

placed at a tabic with a sword suspended over his head
by a single horse hair, to impress upon him how preca­
rious was the happiness of the great. Damocles was
afraid to stir, and the banquet was a torment to him.
Hence also the phrase to hang by a thread which means
to be in a very critical condition.
John’s temper was hanging by a thread behind
the humorous, b antering air which he more and
more used in his days of celebrity when talking to
old friends or to the family.
A. Wilson, Anglo-Saxon Attitudes
Pronunciation and stress:
Damocles ['daemaklirz], Dionysius [,dai9'msias],
Syracuse ['saiarakju.’z], Cicero ['sisarou], sword [so:d],
courtier ['ko:tja], tyrant ['taiarant], banquet ['baegkwitj,
precarious [pri'kearias], torment ['torment]
Note s:
IMPRESS, IMPRESSION . To impress is a transitive verb
and hence is never used without a direct object. His
words impressed upon me is a common error since there
is no direct object after the verb to impress. The error
may be accounted for by the fact that the noun impres­
sion requires a prepositional object: the impression of
the film upon the audience.
Translate into English:
Дамоклов меч
Дамокл поднял голову и увидел над собой меч.
—
Хорошая штука, — сказал о н . — Другого такого
не найдешь в Сиракузах.
—
Обрати внимание, что он висит на конском во­
лосе, — растолковывал ему тиран Дионисий. Это
имеет аллегорический смысл. Ты всегда завидовал
моему счастью, и этот меч долж ен тебе объяснить, что
всякое счастье висит на волоске.
Дамокл сидел на пиру, а над его головой висел
меч. Прекрасный меч, какого не найдешь в С ира­
кузах.
—
Да, счастье... — вздохнул Дамокл и с завистью
посмотрел на меч.
Ф. Крив ин, Божественные истории

щ
TJtf*
To lake (bear) the palm Получить пальму первенства
To take or to bear the palm means to be the winner
of the prize, victory, or supreme honour. It is an allu­
sion to the ancient Romans among whom a branch of
the palm-tree, or a garland of palm leaves, was a sym­
bol of victory. According to the custom the victorious
gladiator or the successful competitor in the games w as
crowned with a branch of palm.
Whales are not only the largest existing ani­
mals, but by far the largest which have ever exist­
ed, for the monstrous reptiles of the Secondary
period, which are often supposed to hold the palm
for size, could none of them have exceeded about
fifty tons.
J. Huxley, Man in the Modern World
Pronunciation and stress:
Garland ['gculsnd], gladiator ['glaedieita], competitor
[kam'petita]
171

Their name is legion
Имя им легион
The Gospel legend declares that when Jesus asked
the man possessed by demons what was his name the
answer was “My name is Legion: for wre are many”. The
man meant that he was possessed by many demons.
In ancient Rome legion was a body of soldiers number­
ing up to six thousand warriors. The expression means
they are innumerable, extremely numerous.
It is time we turned a straight light on this
horde of rats, these younger Forsyte sentimen­
talists w'hose name is legion. It is sentimentalism
that is stifling us.
D. H. Lawrence, Selected Essays
Star differs from star in glory and their num ­
bers are beyond reckoning; every mountain, every
stream has its individuality; there are over eighty
different kinds of chemical elements; the number
of minerals is legion.
J. A. Thomp so n, Introduction to Scien ce
172

Pronunciation and stress:
Jesus ['djuzas], demon ['di:man], legion [^liid^an]
Translate into English:
В древнем Риме легионом называлось подразделе­
ние армии, насчитывающее до 6.000 человек. В еван­
гелии это слово не имеет значения определенного чис­
ла, а обозначает огромное количество. Евангельское
выражение имя им легион, употребляющееся в том
же значении, основано на легенде о разговоре Иисуса
с бесноватым. Н а вопрос Иисуса: «К ак твое имя?», тот
ответил «Легион», имея в виду, что он одержим огром­
ным количеством бесов.
Thirty pieces of silver
Тридцать сребренников
(See Judas kiss)
The thread of Ariadne
Ариаднина нить
(Ariadne’s thread)
The phrase Ariadne’s thread comes from Greek my­
thology. The father of Theseus was king of Athens.
173

When Theseus was a young man, Athens had to pay a
very disgraceful tribute to Minos, King of Crete. It hap­
pened that the son of Minos was killed by the Athe­
nians. To avenge his death, Minos demanded that seven
Athenian youths and seven maidens should be sent
every ninth year to Crete. The Athenian captives were
always devoured by a dreadful monster called the Mino­
taur. The monster had the body of a man and the head
of a bull, and was shut up in the Labyrinth, which con­
sisted of so many winding passages that whoever once
entered the building could never find his way out.
On his arrival at Crete, Theseus was put into the
Labyrinth. But Ariadne, the daughter of Minos, having
fallen in love with him, gave him a skein of thread, one
end of which he fastened at the entrance. At length he
met with the monster, and killed him after a violent
struggle. By following back the thread he was able
to find his way out.
The metaphor Ariadne’s thread is used to describe
something that helps to find a way out of a difficulty.
Pronunciation and stress:
Theseus ['0i:sju:s], Athens ['asOinz], Minos ['mainos],
Crete [kri:t], Athenian [g'Gnnjan], Minotau r ['mainato:],
Ariadne [^aen'asdni],
monarch ['тэпэк], labyrinth
[ЧагЬэппб], w in ding ['wamdir)], skein [skem]
Note s:
ROAD, WAY. Both denote a line of communication
between two places. The difference between them is that
road is always concrete, it is wide or narrow, paved
with stones or asphalt, etc. Way is applied to any pas­
sage from one place to another, not necessarily having
the shape of a road: a waterway, an airway, a way
through a forest, etc. It is also used figuratively: where
there’s a will, there’s a way.
The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
1. Выражение Ариаднина нить употребляется в ме­
тафорическом значении ‘путеводная нить, способ, по­
могающий решить трудный вопрос, выйти из затрудни­
174

тельного положения’. 2. Выражение происходит от
имени одного из персонажей греческой мифологии —
Ариадны, дочери критского царя Миноса. 3. Афиняне
обязаны были по требованию Миноса каждый год от­
правлять на Крит семь юношей и семь девушек, кото­
рые отдавались на съедение Минотавру. 4. Минотавр,
чудовищный полубык-получеловек обитал в лабиринте,
откуда никто не мог выйти. 5. Дочь Миноса, полю­
бившая афинского героя Тезея, да ла ему клубок ни­
ток. 6. Тезей привязал конец нитки у входа в лабиринт
и пошел по извилистым ходам, разматывая клубок.
7. После победы над Минотавром Тезей нашел обрат­
ный путь из л абиринта по Ариадниной нити.
То tilt at (the) windmills
Сражаться с ветряными мельницами
The phrase to tilt at the windmills is an allusion to
an episode related in Cervantes’ novel Don Quixote
(1605— 1615). Don Quixote approached thirty or
forty windmills, which he declared to Sancho
Panza, “were giants, two leagues in length or more”.
Striking his spurs into Rosinante, he drove at one of
the “dreadful m onsters” . The lance lodged in the sail,
and the latter, striking both man and beast, lifted them
into the air, breaking the lance to pieces. When the val­
iant knight and his steed fell to the ground they were
both much injured, and Don Quixote declared that the
enchanter Freston, who had carried off his library,' had
changed the giants into windmills out of malice.
The phrase to tilt at the windmills is used metaphor­
ically and means to undertake an absurd, impossible
or futile task; to attack an imaginary foe.
Each century has brought forth guardians and
champions of the English tongue who fought cease­
less, and sometimes meritorious, battles to save
it from further foreign adulteration. But was it
not altogether a fight against windmills...?
V. Grove, The Language Bar
175

“ Rather eccentric.,
I’m afraid,”
said Poirot.
“Most of that family are. Spoilt, of course. Always
inclined to tilt at windmills.”
A. Christie, Death on the Nile
Pronunciation and stress:
Don Quixote [don'kwiksat], Cervantes [sa/vaentiz],
Sancho Panza ['sasrjkou'pasnza], Rosinante [/rozi'naenti],
ab su rd [ab'sa:d], m alice ['maelis]
Translate the questions into English and supply the answers:
1.
Откуда заимствовано выражение сражаться с
ветряными мельницами? 2. Когда и кем написан роман
«Дон-Кихот»? 3. Что заявил Дон-Кихот Санчо Панса,
увидев ветряные мельницы? 4. К ак описывается в ро­
мане сражение Дон-Кихота с ветряными мельницами?
5. Что заявил Дон-Кихот после того, как был избит
крыльями мельниц? 6. В каком значении употребляет­
ся выражение сражаться с ветряными мельницами?
The torments of Tantalus
Муки Тантала

Tantalus was the mythical King of Phrygia or Lydia,
son of Zeus. He is said to have been punished after
death by intolerable thirst and hunger. Homer in his
poem Odyssey represents him as standing up to his
throat in water, with the most delicious fruits hanging
over his head. But whenever he bends forwards to
quench his thirst or to appease his hunger, both water
and fruits recede. Tradition does not agree as to the
crime by which he forfeited the favour of Zeus, and
merited perpetual punishment. According to one ac­
count, he offended Zeus by his perfidy; according to
another, he stole away the nectar and ambrosia from
Olympus. Untold suffering caused by the impossibility
to get something highly desired which seems to be with­
in reach, is called after Tantalus.
Pronunciation and stress:
Tantalus ['taentalas], Phrygia ['fridjia], Lydia ['lidia],
Zeus [zju:s], Homer ['houma], Odyssey ['odisi], Olympus
[ou'iimpas], into lerable [in'tolarabl], forfeit ['fo:fit],
perpetual [pa'petjual], perfidy ['paifidi], ambrosia
[asm'brouzja]
The following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
1. В греческой мифологии Тантал — сын Зевса,
царь Фригии (называемый также царем Лидии).
2. Тантал был любимцем богов, которые часто пригла­
шали его на свои пиршества. 3. Но он утратил распо­
ложение богов и был ими жестоко наказан. 4. По од­
ной версии он украл у Зевса золотую собаку. 5. По
другой — похитил с Олимпа пищу богов. 6. З а свое
преступление Тантал был обречен испытывать вечные
муки голода и жажды. 7. Как рассказывает в Одиссее
Гомер, Тантал стоит по горло в воде, но вода отсту­
пает от него, как только он наклонит голову, чтобы
напиться. 8. Н ад ним нависли ветви с роскошными
плодами, но как только он протягивает к ним руки,
ветви отклоняются. 9. Отсюда возникло выражение
м у ки Тантала, о значаю щее ‘нестерпимые муки из-за
невозможности достигнуть желанной цели, несмотря
на ее близость’.
7 Н, *4. Эльянова
177

A tower of Babel
Вавилонская башня
(See Confusion of Babylon)
Retell the text in English.
. . . Геродот, написавший о семи чудесах, побывал
в Вавилоне. И больше того, он видел эту легендарную
и вроде бы вовсе не существовавшую башню. Случи­
лось это за четыре с половиной века до нашей эры.
Хоть Геродот не включил ее в число чудес, но оста­
вил ее краткое описание Он сообщил, что башня воз­
вышается над городом, что она восьмиэтажная и что
каждый этаж меньше предыдущего.
Геродот писал, что видел башню неповрежденной.
Когда через несколько десятков лет в Вавилон вошел
со своими войсками Александр Македонский, он обна ­
ружил, что башня разваливается, и приказал снести
Есе, что осталось. Нет, он не хотел уничтожать башню.
Наоборот, Александр Македонский решил восстано­
вить ее, но не успели собраться каменщики, не успели
вавилонские и греческие архитекторы приготовить па­
пирусы с планами, как в 323 году до нашей эры Алек­
сандр Великий скончался...
Вавилонская башня, вернее, вавилонский зиккурат
(zikk urat) был самым большим из многочисленных
зиккуратов империи. О н'представлял собой семисту­
пенчатую пирамиду, на вершине которой стоял малень­
кий храм бога Мардука, покрытый золотом и облицо­
ванный голубым глазурованным кирпичом. Общая вы­
сота башни была такой же как и длина стороны
основания — девяносто метров.
Пятнадцатиметровый храм на вершине зиккурата,
сверкающий и видный за десятки километров, был
настолько величественен, что бедные кочевники-иу­
деи почитали его за воплощение людского могущества,
богатства, знатности и спеси. И, почитая так, осужда­
ли изнеженных и богатых жителей города, говоривших
на непонятном языке и презиравших скотоводов.
А осуждая, мечтали о том, чтобы их бог, такой же
суровый и бедный, как они, покарал и сам Вавилон,
и воплощение его — зиккурат Мардука — Вавилон­
скую башню.
А когда очень хочешь чего-нибудь — принимаешь
желаемое за действительное, Сначала была сказка
J78

о том, как бог накажет вавилонян. А потом, когда
прошли столетия и башня, пощаженная Киром, раз­
рушенная Ксерксом и сравненная с землей Алексан­
дром, перестала существовать, сказка о гибели Вави­
лонской башни вошла в Библию.
И. Можейко, Другие 27 чудес
The Trojan horse
Троянский конь
(See Greek gift)
The tub of Diogenes
Бочка Диогена
Diogenes (4th cent. В. C.) was the most famous of
the Cynic philosophers. His actions were designed to
show how few were m a n ’s needs. His dress, later to be
cynic uniform, was that of a vagabond beggar, with
a stick, a wallet for alms and a cloak, which, when doub­
led, served at night as a blanket. He needed no roof
over his head, and is reputed to have lived in a tub
feeling himself independent of the ordinary necessities
of civilization. A picturesque figure, he became the cen­
tre of a legend so that it is hard to distinguish fact
from fable. The story is told that once Alexander of
Macedonia came up to Diogenes sitting in front of his
tub. “ I am Alexander the Great”, said he to the cynic,
“And I am Diogenes”, replied the philosopher without
so much as raising his head. “W hat can I do for you?”
continued the Emperor. “ Step out of my light”, was the
answer. Alexander is reported to have been delighted
and exclaimed, “ If I were not Alexander the Great Г
would like to be Diogenes.”
The phrase the tub of Diogenes denotes an attempt
to reduce one’s needs to minimum.
Pronunciation and stress:
Diogenes [dai'odjiniiz], Alexander [/Selig'zamda],
Macedonia ^maesi'dounjo], cynic ['sinik], picturesque
[/piktjVresk], v agabond ['vsegsband], w allet ['wolit],
alms [a:mz], repute (v) [ri'pju:t], m inimum ['mm im amj
7*
179

1. Кто такой Диоген? 2. Что Диоген стремился
доказать своим поведением? 3. Что нам известно об
образе жизни Диогена? 4. Всели правдоподобно в рас­
сказах о Диогене? 5. С какими словами, как утвер­
ждает легенда, обратился к Диогену Александр Маке­
донский? 6. Что, как рассказывают, ответил ему фило­
соф? 7. О чем попросил императора Диоген, когда тот
предложил ему высказать просьбу? 8. Каково значе­
ние выражения бочка Диогена?
Translate the questions into English and supply the answers:
Janus was an ancient Roman god, primarily god of
gates and doors, hence, of all beginnings and ends.
January is called after Janus, as it was the first month
of the later Roman calendar. Having once offered hospi­
tality to Jupiter, Janus was endowed with the gift of
knowing the past and the future. He was sometimes rep­
resented as a keeper of the heaven with a sceptre in
his right hand and a key in the left, sitting on a glit­
tering throne, but was most commonly represented as
180

having one head with hvo bearded faces, one looking
forward and the other backward. He was worshipped
as the sovereign disposer of war and peace. The temple
of Janus faced east and west. Its gates were opened
only in war time, but during the long space of seven
hundred years the gates were closed only three times.
The metaphor two-faced Janus applied to a double-
faced or hypocritical person has probably spru ng from
the cult of Janus as the spirit of doorways and arch­
ways, of ins and outs.
Pronunciation and stress:
Janus
['djemas], Jupiter ['djurpita], calendar
['kaelinda], endow [in'dau], sceptre ['septa], sovereign
['sovrin]
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the statements and the questions.
1. Выражение двуликий Янус связано с именем од­
ного из римских богов. 2. В римской мифологии Янус
считался богом входов и выходов. 3. Изображения
Януса помещались у дверей и в проходах. 4. Янус
изображался с двумя лицами, обращенными в проти­
воположные стороны: одно лицо смотрело вперед, дру­
гое назад. 5. Янус считался также богом всякого н а­
чинания, привратником неба: поутру он открывал во­
рота Олимпа, а вечером запирал их. 6 В древнем
Риме Януса почитали как верховное божество, вер­
шившее вопросы войны и мира. 7. Храм Януса, обра­
щенный одной стороной на восток, другой — на запад,
открывался только в дни войны. 8. Интересно, чго
в течение семи веков ворота храма закрывались толь­
ко три раза. 9. Двуликим. Янусом называют двулич­
ного, лицемерного человека.

Under the aegis
Под эгидой
! The words under the aegis mean with the support or
protection of. The phrase comes from mythology. Tra<
dition does not agree as to the origin of the word
aegis. It is most commonly believed to have been the
brass shield of Zeus, m ade by Hephaestus, and symbol­
izing the god’s power. When Zeus was angry he wraved
and shook the aegis, m ak ing a sound, by which the
nations were overawed. He sometimes allowed his fa­
voured daughter Athena to have it. So in course of time
the aegis became the attribute of Zeus and Athena.
According to other accounts, aegis was a cloak, m ade
of the skin of the goat Amalthea, who suckled Zeus
when he was a baby. The cloak was a garment worn
by the god and therefore imbued with his supernatural
power. The stout hide of the cloak could turn a blow
like a buffcoat, and thus it was used as a piece of ar*
mour.
Pronunciation and stress:
Zeus [zju:s], Hephaestus [hi'fiistos], Amalthea
ЬэетэКбпэ], Athena [э'бйпэ], aegis ['ud^is]
182

UNDER, BELOW . The two prepositions are to be distin­
guished. Below means ‘lower than’, under — ‘directly
below ’: below the horizon, below sea level, below zero
(about temperature), etc., but under an umbrella, under
the table, under the ground, water, etc. The words can
be interchanged in case below means not only ‘at a
lower level’, but includes the m eaning of under: to hit a
man under (below) the eye.
FAVOURED, FAVOURITE . The words are easily con­
fused, though they are different in meaning. The first
m eans ‘privileged’, the second — ‘most liked’. Thus the
favourite daughter is not necessarily the favoured one.
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-way translation using both
the statements and the questions.
I. В мифологии древних греков эгидой называли
щит верховного божества Зевса. 2. Эгиду для Зевса
изготовил бог-кузнец Гефест. 3. Потрясая эгидой, Зевс
наводил ужас на смертных. 4. Эгидой владела и дочь
Зевса Афина. 5. По другим сказаниям, эгида была
сделана из шкуры козы Амалфеи, которая своим мо­
локом выкормила младенца-Зевса. 6. Эгида изобра­
жается в виде щита или в виде панциря. 7. Выраже­
ние под эгидой означает ‘под защитой, под покрови­
тельством’.
Motes:
An unwritten law (the unwritten law)
Неписаный закон
The Romans divided their law into unw ritten law
and written law. By unwritten law they meant custom,
popular practice; by written law, that derived from legis­
lation. Hence, an unwritten law is any rule that is
based on custom but not precisely stated.
Pronunciation and stress:
Legislation iled^is'leijdn], based [beist], precisely
[pri'saisli]
Notes:
PRACTICE, PRACTISE. The words have the same
pronunciation ['praektis], but differ in spelling and in
183

morphological characteristics: the first is a noun, the
second — a verb: piano practice, but to practise speak­
ing English.
Make up questions in English to which the following Russian
sentences would be answers. Do a two-tfay translation using both
the statements and the questions.
1.
Римляне различали писаные и неписаные зако­
ны. 2. Под первыми они имели в виду официально су­
ществующие, зафиксированные в кодексе законы.
3. Под неписаными законами понимались сложившие­
ся в народе обычаи. 4. В этом значении выражение
неписаный закон сохранилось и в современном языке.
5. В некоторых странах термин неписаный закон обо­
значает обычай, применяемый в судебной практике,
не подвергать тяжелому наказанию лицо (мужа или
жену), совершившее преступление из ревности.
Vanity fair
Ярмарка тщеславия
The words vanity fair are an allusion to the fair des­
cribed in John Bunyan’s allegorical book Pilgrim's
Progress (1678). The fair was held in the town of Van­
ity, and lasted all the year round. Here were sold
houses, lands, honours, titles, countries, kingdoms, pleas­
ures, and delights of all sorts. It was symbolic of
worldly folly, frivolity and show; hence, the world, espec­
ially a social world, or a city, society, etc. regarded
as dominated by folly, frivolity and show, is sometimes
m etaphorically referred to as vanity fair. Thackeray
borrowed the words to give them as the title to his sa­
tirical novel where he described the English 19th cen­
tury morals.
Pronunciation and stress:
Bunyan ['bAnjan], Thackeray ['Gaekaril, pursuit
[pa'sju:t], v anity ['vaemti], m orals ['moralz]
Note s:
MORAL, MORALS . It should be remembered that moral
is the inner meaning or practical lesson of a fable, sto­
ry, etc. Morals are standards of behaviour.

Veni, vidi, vlci
Пришел, увидел, победил
Veni, vidi, vici— ‘I came, I saw, I conquered’. The
words are said to have been used by Julius Caesar,
a famous Roman general, statesman arid writer. Accord­
ing to Plutarch, it was thus that Julius Caesar announced
to one of his friends in Rome the victory over the
army of the Bosporus kingdom in Asia Minor in 47B.C .
He brought the campaign to such a rapid end that he
could sum it up in these simple words. The three Latin
words with their equal number of syllables and the
recurrence of their consonants, make still more striking
the promptitude displayed by Caesar. The words veni,
vidi, vici have come down to us as an expression of
swift and dram atic success. They are sometimes used
ironically to refer to one who boasts of his easy and
quick success.
Pronunciation and stress:
Julius Caesar ['djuiljas'sKza], Plutarch ['plu:ta:k],
Bosporus ['bosparas], recurrence [n'kArans], prom ptitude
['promptitju:d]

The wandering Jew
Вечный жид
The legend of the wandering Jew appeared in the
13th century. It is based on a story connected with the
crucifixion of Jesus. The story goes that the door-keeper
of the judgement-hall, in the service of Pontius Pilate,
struck Jesus as he led him forth, saying, “Get on faster,
Jesus”, to which the latter replied, “ I am going, but
thou shalt tarry till I come again”.
Another legend has it that Jesus, pressed down with
the weight of his cross, stopped to rest at the door of
one Ahasuerus, a cobbler. The craftsman pushed him
away with curses. For that insult he was doomed to
wander over the earth, driven by fear and remorse, nev­
er able to find a grave.
Shelley in England, Schlegel and Goethe in Ger­
many, Sue in France, Zhukovsky in Russia have turned
this legend to account.
In modern speech the words denote a restless person,
a perpetual wanderer.
185

Jesus ['d^Kzas], Ahasue ru s [3,haezju'i3ras], Shelley
['Jeli], Schlegel ['Jleigalj, Goethe ['garta], Sue [sju:],
Pontius Pilate ['pontjas 'pailat], perpetual [pa'petjual],
crucifixion [,kru:si'fikjan], insult (n) ['insAlt], based
[beist]
Render the text in English:
Выражение вечный жид возникло из средневеко­
вой легенды об Агасфере, обреченном на вечные ски­
тания в наказание за то, что он отказался помочь
Иисусу, когда тот шел на распятие. Трагический образ
Агасфера широко использован в мировой литерату­
р е — Шелли, Шлегелем, Гете, Сю, Жуковским. Вы­
ражение обозначает вечного скитальца.
Pronunciation and stress:
То wash one’s hands (of)
Умывать руки
То wash one’s hands means ‘to refuse all responsibil­
ity for a matter or person’. The phrase comes from the
Bible story of the trial of Jesus. Pontius Pilate, the Ro­
m an procurator of Judea, approved of the death sentence
announcing that the Judeans, not he himself, insisted
on the crucifixion. He said he found no fault in Jesus,
but yet yielded to the clamour of the mob for his cru ­
cifixion because he could prevent nothing. Then he took
water and washed his hands before the multitude, as
was the custom, saying that he wras innocent of the
blood of that just person. Pilate has since become a
symbol of hypocrisy and cruelty.
Perhaps Sam ’s wife’ll come and take him. If
not, I suppose he’ll have to go to the workhouse.
Anyway, it’s got nothing to do with me. I wash
my hands of it altogether.
W. W. Jacobs, Light Freights
“Very w7ell,” John got up from his chair and
looked out of the window, “ I wash my hands of it.
If you and Larrie want to fuss over the wretched
bird, do.”
A. Wilson, Anglo-Saxon Attitudes
187

What else was there for me to do? You gave
me a pedagogue’s education and washed your
hands of me. No opportunities, no openings. I had
no alternative. And now you reproach me.
A. Huxley, Antic Hay
Pronunciation and stress:
Pontius Pilate ['pontjas 'pailat], Jesus fdjiizas],
J’ dea [dju/dia], procurator ['prokjuareita], clamour
I'klaema]
Translate the text into English:
По обычаю, существовавшему у некоторых древних
народов, обвинители и судьи в доказательство своей
беспристрастности умывали руки в присутствии свиде­
телей. Этим они показывали, что снимают с себя вся­
кую ответственность за приговор. Отсюда возникло
выражение умывать руки, смысл которого: устранять­
ся от ответственности за что-либо. Возникновение ме­
тафоры обычно связывают с библейским эпизодом
суда над Иисусом. Пилат, прокуратор Иудеи, умыл
руки перед толпой, отдав ей Иисуса для казни.
The wheel of fortune
Колесо Фортуны
In Roman mythology, Fortuna was the goddess of
fortune and also of chance and luck. Through Parcae,
the three fates, she dealt with the fate of all the gods
and all humans. Only the Oracles could foresee and
reveal what was written in the book of Fate. The god­
dess is represented in literature and art with a horn
of plenty, m eaning that she is the sovereign of riches,
and with a rudder in her hand as controller of destinies.
She sometimes has a bandage over her eyes. The god'
dess is sitting or standing on a wheel or globe (some­
times holding it in her hand) to indicate the uncertainty
of fortune. The name of the goddess as well as the
phrase the wheel of fortune symbolize the vicissitudes
of life.
188

Fortuna
[fo'tjiKns], P arcae ['pa:si:], sovereign
['sovrin], vicissitude [vi'sisitju:d], oracle ['orakl]
Tile following sentences make up a story. Retell the story in
English.
1 Фортуна — в римской мифологии богиня судьбы.
2. Первоначально Фортуна считалась богиней слепого
случая и изображалась с повязкой на глазах. 3. Изо­
браж ения Фортуны помещ ались на монетах, печатях,
бесчисленных памятниках искусства. 4. Богиню изо­
бражали с различными атрибутами. 5. Как управи­
тельница судеб она держит в руках рулевое весло,
«руль жизни». 6. Шар или колесо, на котором обычно
помещалась фигура богини, символизировал изменчи­
вость счастья. 7. Рог изобилия в руке богини указывал
на благополучие, изобилие, которое может подарить
Фортуна. 8. Колесо Фортуны символизирует преврат­
ности судьбы.
Pronunciation and stress.
With the shield or on it
Со щитом или на щите
The citizens of ancient Sparta were famous in his­
tory for their hardihood. The Spartan women were
bold and dauntlesss. Every Spartan lady was bred up
to be able to say to those she best loved that they must
come home from battle “with the shield or on it” — ei­
ther carrying it victoriously or carried upon it as a
corpse. A Greek writer tells a story of a mother who
sending her son to a field of battle gave him his shield
with the words, “With it or on it”.
(See also:
Spartan
upringing; Law of Lycurgus.)
Notes:
LOVE (LIKE) BETTER/BEST (MORE/MOST). Both better!
best and more/most are used with English like and love,
the former being more usual with like, the latter with
love.
Translate into English:
Спартанские женщины отличались смелостью и не­
устрашимостью. Отправляя мужчин на войну, женщи­
189

ны подавали им щит со словами: «С ним или на
нем» — возвращайся победителем или погибни. Отсю­
да возникло выражение со щитом или на щите, имею­
щее значение: ‘вернуться победителем или погибнуть
в борьбе’.
A wolf in sheep's clothing
Волк в овечьей шкуре
A wolf in sheep’s clothing is one who appears to be
friendly but is really an enemy, a dangerous person
who pretends to be quite harmless. The allusion here is
to the fable of Aesop A Wolf in a Lamb's Skin. A wolf
once disguised himself in a sheep’s skin and succeeded
in entering sheepfold. Soon a shepherd came to the
fold to get the fattest sheep in the flock. In touching
them to see which-was the best, he found an animal
with hairy ears and woolly back. The shepherd put a
rope round his neck and hung the animal, high up on
a tree.
I know Andrews. He’s a wolf who doesn’t even
bother to put on sheep’s clothing.
J. H. Chase, The Double Shuffle
The kindness, so far as Peddley was concerned,
was entirely whole-hearted, he was not conscious
of the wolf concealed beneath his sheep’s clothing.
He just felt a desire to be friendly and helpful and,
accidentally, chatty.
A. Huxley, Two or Three Graces
m

Aesop ['i;sDp], shepherd ['Jepad]
Render the following text in English:
Выражение волк в овечьей шкуре связано с басней
Эзопа о волке, проникшем в загон для овец под видом
овцы, но узнанном и схваченном пастухом. Слова волк
в овечьей ш куре употребляются как характеристика
опасного врага, скрывающего свои намерения под
маской добродетели.
Pronunciation and s!ress;
То worship Bacchus
Поклоняться Бахусу
In mythology, Bacchus was a god of the fertility of
nature and of wine. According to the usual tradition,
he was the son of Jupiter and Semele, the daughter of
Cadmus. He is said to have taught men to plant the
vine and to prepare wine from grapes. Bacchus was
always attended by Silenus, his companion and tutor,
by nymphs, the Bacchantes, young satyrs and shep­
herds. Great revels, the Bacchanals, were held in his
honour every spring; they were characterized by wild
ribaldry. Bacchus is usually represented riding on a
barrel, crowned with garlands of vine.
The words to worship Bacchus are used as a joke to
denote an excessive inclination to drinking wine.
Pronunciation and stress:
Bacchus ['baekas], Zeus [zju:s], Semele ['semili],
Cadmus ['kaedmas], Bacchante [ba'kaenti], Bacchanal
['baekanlj, Silenus [sai'li:nas], satyr ['sasta], shepherd
['Jepad], revel [revl]
Notes:
VINE, WINE. In careless speech the words are some­
times mixed up. They should never be interchanged.
Though derived from one root, the words are not syn­
onymous. Vine is a plant on which grapes grow,
wine — a drink made of grapes. Be sure to pronounce
vineyard (a plantation of grapevines) ast'vm jad].
191

COMMENTARY
Abel feibsl], in the bible the second son of ADAM and eve,
a shepherd; killed by his elder brother, c a in .
Academy [a'kasdami], a pleasure-garden near Ath en s (said
to have belonged to the legendary hero Academus) in which pla to
taught.
Achilles [a'kilirz], a Greek hero of the Trojan war, son
of
PELEUS and t h e t is ; quarrelled with AGAMEMNON and ‘sulked in
his tent’, refusing to fight until his friend Patroclus was killed
by Hector whom he then slew; was killed by PARIS with a poisoned
arrow; it pierced his heel where his mother had held him in infancy
when she plunged him into STYX to make him invulnerable.
Acropolis [a'krDpalis], the citadel, or the fortified part of
Athens, situated on a hill about 250 ft high and richly adorned
with sculpture and architecture.
Adam ['asdam], in the Bible, the first man and progenitor of
the human race, who lived with his wife ev e in the Garden of
EDEN, but w as driven from it for eating the fruit (traditionally
an apple) of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
A d riatic [,eidri'astik], the sea east of Italy.
Aeneas [i'ni:aes], in Greek and Roman legends, the son of
Anchises [asrj'kaiskz] and ap h rodite , a Trojan hero; a legendary
originator of the Roman state, and a hero of Virgil’s Aeneid.
Aeneid ['i:nnd], a famous epic poem by v i rg il in 12 books of
Latin hexameters relating the story of AENEAS after the tall of
TROY, and his participation in the wars preceding the legendary
founding of Rome.
Aeolus ['i(:)oulas], in Greek mythology, the god of the winds.
Aeschylus ['i:skilas] (525—456 В. C .), Athenian poet regarded
as the founder of the Greek tragic drama; his best known trage­
dies are The Seven Against Thebes, Prometheus Bound, and the
Oreste s trilogy.
Aesop ['i:s3p] (6th с. В. C.), a famous Greek teller of fables
about animals, said to have been a slave in Samos, a large is­
land in the Aegean sea.
Agamemnon [,агдэ'тетпэп], in Greek legends, a king of Myce­
nae [mai'si:ni(:)], the brother of Menelaus (who was married to
HELEN, later carried off by Paris) and commander of the Greek
host that besieged troy .
Agathocles [э'даевэМкг] (361—289 В. С .), the tyrant of Syra­
cuse; his fleet sailed from S ic ily to North Africa to fight
CARTHAGE. Under the sovereign’s orders, Sicilian warriors burnt
their ships before assailing their enemies.
Ahasuerus [a/haezju'iargs], a hero of the medieval Christian
legend; he had insulted Christ on the way to crucifixion and was
condemned to wander the earth ‘till the second coming of Christ’.
Ahasuerus is better known as the Wandering Jew.
A laddin [s'lasdin], a hero of a story in The Arabian Nights, who
acquired a magic lamp and ring, the rubbing of which brought
a jinn to do the will of the owner.
Alexander of Macedonia [aelig'za:nda ov ^uesi'douiijs], also
Alexander the Great (356—323 В. C.), son of Philip II of Macedo­
192

nia, educated by A ristotle ['aenstotl]. He became king in 336 B.C .
and was nominated by the Greek states to conduct the war against
Persia, in which he was victorious. Later he extended his conquests
to Egypt and India.
Ali Baba ['aeli 'Ьа:Ьэ], in The Arabian Nights, a woodcutter
who enters the cave of the Forty Robbers by the use of the magic
password ‘Open, Sesame!’
Am althea [,aemal'6ia], in Greek and Roman mythology, the
nurse of zeus,
a goat. The broken horn of Amalthea Zeus made
into a horn of plenty, or cornucopia.
A m azons [.asmazanz], a fabulous race of female warriors al­
leged -by HERODOTUS to exist in Scythia (ancient region between
the Carpathians and the Don).
Aphrodite [aefra'daiti], in Greek mythology, the goddess of
love and beauty, born of the sea-foam; identified by the Romans
w ith Venus.
Apocalypse [a'pakalips], see re v e lation .
A pollo [a'palou], a god, called Phoebus ['fi:bas], and identified
with the sun; he was the god of music and poetry and could
foretell the futu re.
Apostle [a'posl], in Christian belief, a messenger, especially
one of the twelve disciples sent forth by CHRIST to preach his
teaching to all the world.
Aquinas Thomas [a'kwainies] (с 1225—74), an Italian philos­
opher, a Dominican friar, whose writings represent the culmina­
tion of sch ol astic philosophy.
Arabia [a'reibja], a large peninsula in South-West Asia, mostly
desert, lying between the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.
Arabian Tales [a'reibj'sn
'teilz] (also The Arabian Nights),
the title of Thousand and one Nights that originated in India and
through Persia found their way to the Arabian Peninsula, which
is generally considered to be the birthplace of the tales.
Arcadia [ec'keidja], a prose romance by Sir Philip Sidney ,
the English 16th-century writer (Arcadia, a mountainous district
in the south of Greece, was considered a symbol of happy rustic
life).
Ares ['eariiz], a god of war, the son of zeu s and HERA, in
Roman mythology, Mars.
A rg o ['a:gou], in Greek mythology, the ship in which the
argonauts sailed aftertheGoldenFleece.
A rgo na uts ['a:ganD:ts], in Greek mythology, the heroes who
accompanied jason on board the ship argO on the quest for the
Golden Fleece (hkracles, Orpheus, theseus, castor and Pol­
lux and others, 50 all in all)
A rgos ['ocgas], an ancient Greek city south-west of Athens;
gave the name to the peninsula of Argolis.
A rgu s ['ocgss], in Greek mythology, a hundred-eyed monster
who was set to watch Io.
A riadn e [,aeri'a?dni], in Greek mythology, the daughter of
minos, king of Crete; she helped theseus to escape from the
labyrinth of minotaur by providing him with a clew of thread.
Aristotle ['aeristotl] (384—322 В. C .), a famous Greek philos­
opher, pupil of PLATO at ATHENS.
193

A rthur ['a.0g], king of Britain (historically perhaps a chief­
tain or genera! of the 5.!i—6th cemuries). According to the legend,
he was brought up by Merlin the magician, became king of Brit­
ain at the age of 15, married the beautiful Guinevere, held his
court in Cornwall and established a company of Knights of the
Round Table; the adventures of King Arthur and his Knights of
the Round Table are the subject of the popular Arthurian cycle of
legends.
Asculum [''aeskalam], the place where the army of p y r r h u s
defeated the Romans in 279 В. C.
Athena [a'0i:na], in Greek mythology, a goddess of wisdom,
industry and war; she sprang fully grown and armed from the
brain of her lather zeu s. The Romans identified her with Minerva.
Athens ['®0inz], the leading city of ancient Greece, the capital
of ATTICA; now, the capital of Greece.
Attica ['astika], a district in ancient Greece with the admin­
istrative centre at Athens.
Augeas [o:'d3i:aes], in Greek mythology, king of ELIS; he had
several thousands of beautiful white oxen whose stables had never
been cleaned. HERCULES cleaned the stables within a single day.
Augustus [o:'g.\stss] (В. C. 63 — A. D. 14), Julius Caesar Octa-
vian, the nephew and adopted son ofjulius caesar and his suc­
cessor, the first emperor of Rome.
Babel ['beibal], biblical nam e for the city of BABYLON.
Babylon ['beebilen], a celebrated ancient city, the capital of
BABYLONIA, on the EUPHRATES, south of BAGHDAD.
Babylonia [,baebi'lounja], an ancient empire in western Asia,
great and powerful 4,000 years ago.
Bacchanal ['bsskanl], in classical mythology, a wild, noisy
festival in honour of bacchus.
Bacchante [ba'kasnti], a female attendant of BACCHUS.
Bacchus ['baekas], in classical mythology, the god of wine.
Bacon, F ran cis ['beikan 'fra :n sis] (1561— 1626), an English
statesman and philosopher who introduced the inductive method
into science; the author of the famous Essays.
Baghdad [basg'daed], a city in Western Asia, on the River
Tigris, now the capital of Iraq; often mentioned in The Arabian
Nights.
Balaam ['beilaem], the biblical prophet who w as rebuked by
the ass he rode.
Balak ['baelak], king of MOAB, an ancient kingdom in Syria.
Baucis ['bDisis], in Greek and Roman mythology, an aged
Phrygian woman, the wife of Philemon ; they were rewarded for
entertaining zeu s and h er m e s travelling in disguise.
Beotia ['bi'osia], a district in Central Greece, with the centre
at THEBES.
Bethlehem ['befllihem], in the Bible, the bi rthplace of CHRIST,
a town in PALESTINE near JERUSALEM.
Bible [baibl], the book accepted by Christians as inspired by
God and of divine authority; consists of the Old and New Testa­
ment (pyecK. Ветхий завет и Новым завет).
Book of Genesis ['d3enisis], Ihe first book of the Old Testa ­
ment, containing an account of the creation of the world and man
(русск. Кни га Бы ти я),
194

Bosporus ['baspsrss], an ancient sfafe north of the Black sea
in the 5th century В. C.; also a narrow strait connecting the Black
Sea and the Sea of Marmora.
Brehm ['breim] (1829— 1884), a German zoologist.
Breughel Pieter the Elder ['braigal], a famous Flemish artist
of the 16th century.
Brutus Marcus Junius ['bru:tas] (85—42 В. C.), a Roman sol­
dier and politician; took part in the assassination ofJU LiUS CAESAR.
Bunyan John ['Ьлп]эп] (1628— 1688), an English preacher,
author of the allegory Pilgrim's Progress (which he is said to
have written while imprisoned for unlicensed preaching).
Buridan Je a n n ['bundan], a French scholastic philosopher and
logician (14th century).
Cadm us ['kaedmas], in Greek mythology, a prince of Phoenicia
who slew a dragon and sowed its teeth; he is said to have founded
the city of T heb e s and introduced the alphabet into Greece.
Cain [kein], in the Bible, the eldest son of ADAM and EVE
who killed his brother Abel.
C arthag e ['ka:6id3], an ancient city in North Africa; destroyed
by the Romans in 146 В. C., later rebuilt by Augustus, destroyed
again in 698 by the Arabs.
Cassandra [ks'saendra], a daughter of Priam, king of TROY;
APOLLO gave her the gift of prophecy on condition that she should
love him; when she did not keep her word, the angered god de­
creed that her prophecies, though true, should not be believed.
Castor ['ka:sta], see DIOSCURI.
Ceres ['siari:z], in Roman mythology, the goddess of the grow­
ing vegetation, identified with the Greek Demeter.
C ervantes [sa:'vsntiz] (1547— 1616), a famous Spanish nov­
elist, the author of Don Quixote.
Chaldea [kael'di (:)э], an ancient state in Asia on the EUPHRA­
TES.
Charybdis [ka'rrbdis], the legendary whirlpool off the Sicilian
co ast.
Chilon ['kailan] (6th с В. С.), one of the Seven Sages of
Greece; he was a high official of SPARTA.
Christ [kraist], see
. iesus christ.
Cicero ['sisarou] (106—43 В. C.), a famous Roman orator,
statesman and man of letters.
Circe ['sa;si], in the Odyssey, an island sorceress who trans­
formed all who drank of her cup into swine.
Cisalpine Gaul [sis'aelpain дэ:1], in ancient times, a Roman
province in northern Italy (Cisalpine meaning ‘on this side of the
Alps’) .
Colchis ['kolkis], a country at the East end of the Black Sea
(now Georgia), famous in Greek legends as the destination of the
argonauts andthehome of medea.
Cooper Fenim ore ['ku:pa] (1789—1851), an American novelist,
author of the Leather Stocking series.
C orinth ['kormO], an ancient city in southern Greece.
Correggio [ka'red33] (1494— 1534), an Italian painter.
Crete [kri:t], an island in the Mediterranean Sea; belongs to
Greece and is the scene of many legends connected with TH eseus ,
ARIADNE, MINOTAUR; daed alu s, etc. Crete was the seat of tha
195

Minoan civiliz ation which la st ed approximately from 2400 to
1400 В. C.
Croesus ['kriisos], king of Lydia (in Asia Minor) in the 6th
century В. C., famous for his riches.
C rom well O liver ['kromwol] (1599— 1658), an English general
and statesman, the leader of the English bourgeois revolution of
the 17th century.
Cynic ['sinik], a Greek sect of philosophers who showed con­
tempt for ease, wealth, and the enjoyments of life. The name of
cynic came to mean any person who sarcastically discredits the
sincerity or goodness of human motives and actions.
Cyrus the Great ['saiaras], king of PERSIA (6th century В. C.),
subdued the Greek cities of Asia Minor.
D aedalus ['dkdalas], in Greek mythology, a skilful craftsman,
the builder of the Creta n labyrinth.
Damocles ['daemakli:z], a courtier of dionysius, whom the
latter rebuked for his constant praises of the happiness hung by
a single hair.
D anaides [dg'nendkz], in Greek mythology, the fifty daugh­
ters of king Danaus.
D anaus [daj'neias], in Greek mythology, the ruler of Libya,
later the king of Argos.
Dardanelles [,da:da'nelz], ancient H elle sp o nt (called so in
memory of the girl Hella who fell into the sea off the back of
the ram with golden fleece), a narrow strait between the Sea of
Marmora and the Aegean Sea.
Dariu s [do'raias] (5th—4th centuries В. C .), king of PERSIA
began the great war between the Persians and the Greeks.
Delphi ['d'elfai], an ancient Greek town on the slope of mount
Parnassus.
Delphic oracle ['delfik 'огэк1], the oracle of a p o ll o located
at DELPHI in ancient Greece.
Deluge, the ['delju:d3], according to the Bible, the great flood
in thedays of noah.
D iana [dai'asna], the ancient Italian moongoddess, patroness
of hunting. Later regarded as identical with the Greek Artemis.
Diogenes [dai'od3ini:z] (412?—323 В. C .), a Greek cy nic phi­
losopher, who practised at ATHENS the greatest austerity, taking
up his residence, it is said, in a large earthenware jar.
Dionysius the Elder [/daia'nisias] (430?—367 В.C.), the
ty­
rant of SYRACUSE.
Dioscuri [,dai3s'kju:ri], in Greek mythology, Castor and Pollux,
the twin sons of z e u s and Leda, a symbol of brotherly love.
H e l e n of Sparta, wife of Menelaus, was their sister.
Don Quixote [don 'kwiksat], the title hero
of a novel by
Cervantes written to ridicule the books of knight-errantry.
Draco ['dreikou], a chief magistrate at ATHENS in 621 В. C.,
said to have established a severe code of laws.
Eden ['i:dn], in the Bible, the delightful garden where ADAM
and EVE lived before the fall of man; Paradise.
Electra [I'lektra], daughter of ag am em n o n and Clytemnestra;
she urged her brother Orestes to kill Clytemnestra and her lover,
thus revenging the murder of Agamemnon (Agamemnon, having
returned home after the Trojan war, was killed by Clytemnestra),
196

E lis ['i lls], a dislricl in ancient Greece where Olympic Games
were held.
Ephesus ['efisas], an ancient Greek city on the coast of Asia
Minor famous for the temple of Artemis, or DIANA that ranked
among the Seven Wonders of the World.
Eros ['eros], in Greek mythology, the god of love, usually rep­
resented as the son of aphrodite; equivalent to the Roman god
Cupid.
Epirus [e'pamros], an ancient district in Northern Greece cel­
ebrated for its cattle and horses.
Esau ['i:s3:], in the Bible, the elder son of Isaac, who sold
his birthright to his younger brother j a c o b for a mess of pot­
tage.
- E uphrates [ju:'freiti:z], a river in South-West Asia.
Euripides [jua'ripidi:z] (480—406 В. C.), a great Athenian
tragedian, the author of Medea, The Trojan Women, etc.
Eurystheus [ju:'ns0ias], a legendary king of Argolis, whose
servant was Heracles.
Eve [i:v], in the Bible, the first woman, the wife of ADAM,
Flemish [''flemiJ’], pertaining to Flanders; the territory of this
ancient countship is now divided between Belgium, France and
Holland.
Flood [fUd], see deluge.
Fortu n a [fo'tju:na], in Roman mythology, the Goddess of for­
tune.
Frederick the G reat ['fredrik Ээ 'greit] (1712—1786), king of
Prussia.
Gaul [дэ:1], see Cisalpine Gaul.
Gibraltar Strait [d3i'bra:lta 'streit], the strait between Spain
and Africa, from the Mediterranean sea to the Atlantic Ocean.
Glaucus ['gb:k3s], in Greek mythology, a sea-deity who was
in love with scylla.
Gomorrah [дэ'тэгэ], in the Bible, the city which was destroyed
on account of the wickedness of the people.
Gordius ['gaidjas], a legendary king of PHRYGIA.
Gospel ['gaspal], or the four Gospels, the first four books of
the New Testament in the b ib l e describing the life and teachings
of JESUS CHRIST. (Gospel means in Old English ‘good tidings’;
ср. евангелие по-гречески означает ‘благая весть’.)
Hades [Tieidhz], in Greek mythology, the lower world, abode
of departed spirits; also the ruler of the lower world.
H alic arn assus [,haehka:'n£esas], an ancient city in Asia Minor,
famous for its Mausoleum, now destroyed, which was one of the
Seven Wonders of the World.
Hannibal ['hsenibal], a Carthaginian general and statesman of
the 3-rd century В. C.; fought successfully against Rome, but was
finally defeated.
Helen ['helm], the most beautiful woman of her time, the
daughter of z e u s and Leda and wife of Menelaus, king of
sparta. Shewascarried off to troy by PARIS, and to get her
back Menelaus and his brother AGAMEMNON assembled the Greek
princes to make war on Troy. The war lasted for ten years and
resulted in the fall of Troy.
Hellespont f'hehspDnt], see Dardanelles.
197

Hephaestus [hi'fi:stas], in Greek mythology, the god of fire
and of metalworking, sonof Zeus an(i hera
and husband of
APHRODITE.
Hera ['hiira], the Greek goddess of marriage, the Queen of
the gods, corresponding to the Roman JUNO.
Hercules {also H eracles) ['hakjuli:z |'herakli:z], a hero of
classical mythology, famous for his immense strength.
Hermes ['ha:mi:z], son of Zeus, herald and messenger of the
gods, the god of science, commerce , eloquence, etc., i dentified by
the Romans with Mercury.
Herod ['herad] (62?—4 В. C.), king of jud eA ; according to
the legend, he ordered the slaughter of all the children of B e t h ­
lehem of 2yearsold and
under, inorder thattheinfant Jesus
should be destroyed.
Herodotus (also Herodotes) [he'ndatas], a famous Greek histo­
rian of the 5th century В. C.; the author of 9 books of Histories,
the main theme of which is the enmity between Asia and Greece.
Herostratus [hi'rostratas], the man w'ho set fire to the temple
of DIANA at EPHESUS, one of the Seven Wonders of the World,
in order to become famous.
Hesiod ['hi:sL3d], a Greek epic poet of the 8th—7th centuries
В. C., author of Works and Days.
Hesperides [hes'peridi:z], in classical mythology, the nymphs
who, with the aid of a watchful dragon, guarded the golden apples
growing in a garden at the western extremity of the earth.
Homer ['houma], (9th century В. C.), an epic poet of Greece.
Horace ['haras] (65—8 В. C.), a Latin poet, the author of odes,
satires, etc. Greatly influenced European poetry, especially that of
the 16th— 17th centu rie s.
Hydra ['haidra], in Greek mythology, the monster slain by
HERCULES. It had seven heads any of which, when cut off, was
replaced by two others.
Hymen ['haunan], according to Greek mythology, the god of
marriage.
Hypnos ['hipnas), the Greek god of sleep.
Icarus ['aikaras], the legendary son of DAEDALUS who tried
to fiy in the air with the help of wings made of birds’ feathers.
Iliad ['iliad], an epic poem by homer.
lo ['aiou], in Greek mythology, the maiden loved by ZEUS,
after being changed into a cow, she was watched by the hundred­
eyed ARGUS.
lo l c u s [I'o lk s s], an ancient town in north-eastern Greece.
Iphigenia [i,fid3i'nars], according to Greek mythology, a daugh­
ter of AGAMEMNON and Clytemnestra. She was offered by her fath­
er as a sacrifice to Artemis, who saved her and made her a
prieste ss.
Iran [i'ra:n], the modern name of PERSIA since 1935.
I sl a m f'izla.-m], the religion of the Mosle ms.
Ith a c a ['i8aka], one of the Ionian isles in Greece.
Janus ['dseinas], an ancient Roman deity, primarily the god
of gates and doors.
Jason ['d3eisn], in Greek mythology, king of io l c u s , nephew
of pelia s, who had usurped his throne. Jason went to COLCHis
198

with the argonauts in quest of the Golden Fleece, brought the
Fleece to Iolcus and married MEDEA, Princess of Colchis.
Jerusalem [dsa'ru.salam], an ancient city in PALESTINE and
the historic centre of Judaism and Christianity.
Jesus Christ ['d3i:zas 'kraist], according to the Bible, the found­
er of the Christian religion.
Job [d30ub], in the Bible, a wealthy and prosperous man whose
patience and piety were tried by terrible and undeserved mis­
fort unes.
Johnson Samuel ['d3onsn 'ssemjual] (1709—1784), an English
lexicographer and writer.
Jordan ['d3D:dn], a river in Palestine, flowing into the Dead
Sea.
Jud a s ['d3u:das], according to Christian belief, the disciple of
C hrist, who betrayed his master for thirty pieces of silver.
Judea [dju/dia], a division of Palestine under the Romans.
Julian ['d3u:hsn] (331—363), a Roman emperor.
Julius Caesar ['d3u:ljas 'si:za] (100—44 В. C.), a Roman gen­
eral, statesman and historian.
Juno ['dsu.nou], in Roman mythology, the ancient Italian god­
dess of marriage, wife of ju p ite r and Queen of the gods, identi­
fied with the Greek HERA.
Jupiter [7d3u:pita], an ancient Italian god believed by the Ro­
mans to be the greatest of the gods. Identified with the Greek
ZEUS.
Koran [ka'ra:n], the sacred book of the MOHAMMEDANS.
La Fo ntaine [le 'fo:ntan] (1621—1695), a famous French fabu­
list and poet.
Laius ['laias], in Greek mythology, king of T h eb e s , father of
Oedipus, killed by his son.
Lazarus ['laezaras], in the Bible, 1) the brother of Mary, whom
Jesus raised from the dead; 2) the beggar in the parable of the
rich man and beggar.
Leonidas [li(:)'onidaes], king of SPARTA in the 5th century В. C.
Libya ['libia], the ancient Greek name for the whole of North
Africa, except Egypt.
Lipari ['lipari], a group of volcanic islands near Sicily.
Lot [lot], in the Bible, the nephew of Abraham, who escaped
the destruction of s o d o m . His wife was turned into a pillar of
salt because she looked back when fleeing.
L ouis XV ['lu:i 0a ,fif'ti;n0] (1710— 1774), king of France
(1715-1774).
Loyola, Ig n atius [bi'ouls ig'neifjss] (1491—1556), a Spaniard,
the founder of the Society of the Jesuits.
Lucullus ['hr.'kAlas], a wealthy Roman consul famous for his
banquets.
Lycurg us [lai'ka:gas], (9th century? В. C .), a Spartan lawgiver.
Lydia ['lidia], an ancient country in the western part of Asia
Minor, famous for its luxury.
Macedonia [,maesi'douma], an ancient kingdom on the Balkan
peninsula, northwest of the Aegean Sea.
M a c h i a v e d i (,maekia'veli] (1469— J527), a no ted Florentine
statesman and political writer, the author of the work The Prince
in which unscrupulous statecraft is advocated.
199

M agdala ['masgdala], a (own in Ethiopia, mentioned in the
Bible,
Magdalene [,maegda'li:ni], in the Bible, the w om an who lived in
m agdala and was healed of evil spirits by jesus Christ.
Mahom et (also Mohammed) [ms'hamit | mou'hasmed] (570?—
632), the Arabian prophet; founder of the Mohammedan reli­
gion.
Mammon ['masman], a Syrian word for ‘riches’, used in the
New Testament; medieval authors took it as a proper name of the
devil of greed.
M arryat Frederick ['meenat 'fredrik] (1792—1848), an English
naval captain and novelist.
M ausolu s [ma'sailas], king of Caria in Asia Minor, whose wid­
ow Artemisia erected in his honour the Mausoleum, a splendid
tomb at Halicarnassus in 352 В. C. The Mausoleum was described
by travellers as late as the 12th century. During the past century
its ruins were excavated and some of its sculptures are now in
the British Museum.
Mecca ['meks], a sacred city of MOHAMMEDANS in Arabia.
Medea [mi'diaj, in Greek mythology, an enchantress, the daugh­
ter of king of colchis.
She helped JASON to win the Golden
Fleece, restored Jason’s father to youth, and brought about the
death ot PELIAS. When Jason deserted her for the Princess of
corinth,
she sent her rival a poisoned robe, killed her own chil­
dren, set fire to the palace and fled.
M edes ['mi:dz], the people of ancient Media, a kingdom in
what is now north-western IRAN, which attained its greatest power
in 700-500 В. C.
Megara ['тедэгэ], a town in ancient Greece in a district be­
tween the gulfs of cohinth and Aegina.
M ercury ['ma:kjuri], in Roman mythology, the god identified
with the Greek hermes, herald and messenger of the gods.
Messina, the Strait of [me'si:na], the strait between Sicily,
and Italy.
Methuselah [mi'Sju- .zsls], according to the Bible, a patriarch
said to have lived 969 years.
M idas ['maidses], in Greek legends, a king of PHRYGIA; he
was granted a request by BACCHUS, in return for his hospitality,
and chose that everything he touched should be turned to gold.
The wish was interpreted literally; Midas, unable to eat or drink,
prayed to be relieved of the gift, and was instructed to wash in
the river, whose sands turned to gold at his touch. (That river
became the source of c r o e s u s ' riches.) Another time, when Midas
declared PAN a better flute-player than a r o l l o , Apollo turned
his ears into an ass’s, and Midas tried to hide them, but failed to
keep his secret.
M iletus [mi'liitas], the ancient city on the western coast of
Asia Minor; the birthplace of Thales,
a philosopher, one of the
Seven Sages of Greece.
M inerva [mi'na:va], in Roman mythology, the goddess identi­
fied with the Greek ATHF.NA.
M inos [ ' т а inos], according to Greek mythology, king of CRETE
the son of z e u s and Europa, the father of ARIADNE,
200

Minotaur ['mamsb:]. in Greek mythology, a monsfer, half
man and half bull, confined in the iabyrinth (built by DAEDa u ls)
where it devoured the periodical tribute of seven youths and seven
maidens sent by Athens, until slain by theseus.
Moab ['mouaeb], an ancient kingdom in Syria, east of the Dead
Sea.
M oham m edans [mou'haemidanz], the followers of MOHAMMED,
the founder of ISLAM, a religion spread in Asia and Africa.
M ohicans ['mouikanz], American Indians who formerly lived
near the Hudson River; all of them have now died out.
M ontagu , Lady M ary ['mantagju:] (1689— 1762), an English
letter-writer and traveller.
M orpheus ['im:fjus], in Greek
mythology, the god
of
dreams.
M urillo [mjua'rilou] (1617— 1682), a Spanish painter.
Nebuchadnezzar [,nebjukad'neza] (c 605—562 В. C.), a Chal­
dean king of BABYLON.
Nemea [ni'mi:a], a valley in Argolis, district in ancient Greece.
Nisus ['narsas], in classical mythology, king of megARA, father
of SCYLLA.
Noah ['noua], according to the biblical legend, a patriarch, who
built an ark to save his family and animals in the time of the'
flood.
Octavian [ak'teivjsn], see A ugustus,
Odysseus [s'disju:s], in Greek mythology, king of ith a c a one
of the Greek heroes in the Trojan war, famed for his craft, wis­
dom, and eloquence, hero of Homer’s O dyssey, also called ULYSSES.
Odyssey [/odisi], the epic poem attributed to h o m e r which
describes the ten years’ wanderings of odysseus returning home
after the siege of troy.
Oedipus (also Aedipus) ['idipas], in Greek mythology, the son
of laius andJocasta, king andqueenof thebes.
Olympia [ou'limpia], a town in ancient Greece where Olympic
Games were held.
O lympus [ou'hmpas], a mountain in Greece, the mythical home
of the Greek gods.
Ovid ['avid] (43 В. C . —
17 A. D .), a Roman poet, the author
of Metamorpho se s.
Palestine ['paelistain], the name of a country in western Asia
frequently referred to in the Bible.
Pan [pasn], according to Greek mythology, the god of flocks,
forests, the patron of shepherds, hunters, etc. Pan was represent­
ed as having the legs and sometimes the ears and horns of a
goat.
Pand o ra [paen'dara], in Greek mythology, the woman sent by
ZEUS as punishment for the human race because PROMETHEUS had
stolen fire from heaven. Zeus gave her a box enclosing all human
ills, which escaped when she opened the box.
Parcae ['paisif], in Roman mythology, the goddesses of
fate.
Paris Alexander f'pasris], in Greek mythology, the son of
Priam, king of troy , and Hecuba; as a baby he was left to die
because of a prophecy that he would bring destruction upon Troy;
but shepherds found him and brought him up. With the help of
201

APHRODITE he carried off HELEN, the wife of Menelaus, thus
bringing about the Trojan War in which lie was killed and Troy
sacked.
Parthenon ['pa.-Binan], the celebrated temple of a th e n a Par-
thenos (‘the maiden’) on the acropolis at Athens, built in the
5th century, В. C. and decorated with sculptures by P h id ia s or
his school.
Peleus ['pi:lju:s], in Greek mythology, the husband of THETIS,
fatherof achilles.
Pelias ['pitliaes], king of io l c u s dethroned by JASON on his
return from the Argonautic expedition, as a revenge for the mur­
der of Jason ’s father.
Penelope [pi'nelapi], according to Greek mythology, the faith­
ful wife of Odysseus. During his 20 years’ absence, being impor­
tuned by suitors, she postponed the final decision until she finished
weaving a piece of cloth. Every night she unravelled what she had
woven by day.
Pericles ['perikli:z] (495—429 В. C.), an Athenian statesman
who encouraged the arts, and gave his name to the Golden Age
of Greek culture.
Perrault Charles ['perou 'tja:!z] (1628—1703), a French writ­
er, the author of Mother Goose’s Tales.
Persia ['рэ:/э], the former name of IRAN, officially changed
in 1935.
Pharisee s ['fsensi:z], an ancient Jewish sect well-known for
strict observance of the traditional and written law, and pretending
to be very righteous. (The modern meaning of the word Pharisee
is ‘form alist’; ‘hypocrite ’.)
Phidias ['fidiss] (500?—432? В. C.), a famous sculptor of
ancient Greece. His masterpieces were the bronze statue of the
goddess athena in acropolis and the other statue of the
goddess for the templeofAthena —theParthenon, and also the
statue of zEus at olympia.
Philemon [fi'lhman], in classical mythology, the husband ol
BMJCIS.
Philistines ['filistainz], the ancient warlike people in South
PALESTINE.
Phrygia ['frid3ia], an ancient country in Asia Minor.
Pind ar ['pinda] (522—448? В. C.), a Greek lyric poet; forty-
five of Pindar’s odes and over three hundred fragments of other
poetical works of his have come down to us.
Plato ['pleitou] (427—347? В. C.), an ancient Greek philos­
opher, a pupilof socrates and theteacher of Aristotle.
Pliny the Elder ['plmi 8i 'elda] (23—79), a Roman naturalist
and writer, perished at Pompeii during the eruption of the Mount
Vesuvius. Pliny the Younger ['plini 9э ^лддэ] (62?—114?), the
nephew of Pliny the Elder, a Roman writer.
Plutarch ['plu:ta:k] (46— 120), a Greek biographer and mor­
alist, author of Parallel Lives (русск. «Сравнительные жизнеописа­
ния») of eminent Greeks and Romans.
Pollux ['palaks], see DIOSCURI.
Pompadour, Madame de [maedam da 'psmpadua] (1721—1764),
the mistress and political adviser of lo uis XV.
202

Polybius [po'libiss], in Greek mythology, a king of CORINTH,
Uu foster-faiher of OEdipus.
Pompeii [pom'phai], an ancient city in Italy, buried by the
eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A. D.
Pompey ['pampi], (106—48 В. C .), a Roman general and poli­
tician. After his army was defeated by JULIUS CAESAR at Phar-
salia in 48 В. C. Pompey escaped to Egypt and was killed there.
Pontius Pilate ['pantjas 'pailat], the Roman procurator (gov­
ernor) of JUDEA in the 1st century A. D. who, according to the
biblical legend, gave the final verdict of crucifixion for JESUS
CHRIST (because influential priets demanded him to be cruci­
fied), but he washed his hands before the crowd to show that he
was innocent of Christ’s blood.
Procrustes [pro'kn\sti:z], the legendary highwayman of ATTICA,
who tied his victims upon an iron bed, and stretched or cut off
their legs to adapt them to its length.
Prom ethe us [pra'mi;0ju:s], in Greek mythology, the TITAN who
stole fire from heaven
and gave it to men, for doing which he
was severely punished by ZEUS: the vulturewasto consume his
liver until some immortal should consent to die in Prometheus's
stead. This Chiron did,
and Hercules slewthe vulture.
Pyrrhus ['piras] (318?—272 В. C.), king of epirus.
Rembrandt ['rembrsnt] (1606—1669), a famous Dutch painter.
Renaissance [ra'neisans], the revival of classical influence in
the period between the 14th and 16th centuries.
Reni, G uido ['reim 'gwi:dou] (1575—1642), an Italian painter.
R evelation [,revi'leijn], the last of the canonical books of the
Bible, the ap ocalypse, prophesying the end of the world.
Rhodes [roudz], an island in the Mediterranean Sea.
Rosinante [,rDzi'n£enti], Don Quixote’s steed, lean, bony, and
unsound, but regarded by the knight as incomparable.
Rubens ['ru:banz] (1557— 1640),
an
outstanding Flemish
paint er.
Rubicon ['ru:bikan], a small river in Italy, it formed part of
the country’s northern boundary under the ancient Roman re­
public.
Sancho Panza ['saerjko.u 'psenza], the character from the novel
Don Quixote by Cervantes.
S aul fso:I], according to the Bible, the first king of Israel.
Schlegel ['Jleigal] (1767— 1849), A German critic, poet and
orientalist,
Scipio f'sipiou] (237—283? В. C.), a Roman general.
Scheh erazade [Ji,hiara'za:daJ, the beautiful princess who told
the sultan fascinating tales during a thousand and one nights and
thus escaped execution.
Scylla ['sib], in Greek mythology, a female sea-monster w'ho
devoured sailors when they tried to navigate the narrow channel
between her cave and the whirlpool Charybdis; later legend sub­
stituted a dangerous rock for the monster and located it on the
Italian side of the Strait of Messina.
Semiramis [se'mtramis], a legendary Assyrian queen, noted for
beauty and wisdom; she founded many cities, babylon among
them.

Sicily f'sisili], the largest island in the M editerranean Sea.
Sidney, Sir Philip ['sidm] (1554--1586), an English soldier,
statesman and poet, author of prose romance Arcadia, and of a
series of sonnets known as Astrophel and Stella.
Silenus [sai'liinas], in Greek mythology, the woodla nd deity,
companion of bacchus. Represented as a fat, drunken old man.
Sisyphus ['sisifas], in Greek mythology, the crafty and ava­
ricious king of corinth, condemned in hades to roll up a hill a
huge stone, which constantly rolled back.
Socrates [■'sakrsti:z] (469—399 В. C .), an Athenian philos­
opher, teacher of PLATO, Xenophon and others; he left no writings,
but his method and doctrines are preserved in the Dialogues by
Plato.
Sod om ['sodam], in the Bible, the city the wick ed ne ss and
destruction of which, with the neighbouring g o m o r r a h , is de­
scribed in the Book of Genesis.
Solomon ['salsman] (c 970—933 В. C .), king of Israel, the
son and successor of david, famed for his wisdom and magnifi­
cence.
Solon ['soulan] (c 635—558 B. S .), an early Athenian legisla­
tor and reformer of the constitution; renowned for his wisdom.
Sophocles ['ssfskliiz] (496?—406 В. C .), a famous Athenian
tragic poet, author of Oedipus the King, Antigone, Electra, etc.
Sparta ['spa:ta], the capital of the ancient state of Laconia
in Greece. The inhabitants of Sparta were noted for the military
organization of their State and for their rigorous discipline, sim­
plicity and courage.
Styx [stiks], in Greek mythology, the chief river of the lower
world, which it encircled seven times.
Sue fsju:] (1804— 1857), a Fre nch novelist.
Suetonius, Gaius Tranquillus [swi:'tounjas] (c 70—160 A. D .),
a Roman writer and historian. He described the biographies of
Roman emperors in the book The Lives of the Gaesc.rs, fragments
of which have come down to us.
Syracuse ['saiarakju'.z], an ancient Italian city in the south­
east of the island of siCiLY.
Tacitus ftaesitas] (55?— 117), a Roman historian.
Tantalus ['tasntalasj, in Greek mythology, a wealthy king, son
of ZEUS. For an atrocious sin he w as punished in the lower world
by being placed in the water up to his chin with fruit-laden
branches over his head. The water and fruit recedcd whenever he
sought to drink or eat.
Thackeray, W. М . ['0агкэп] (1811— 1863), an English nov­
elist.
Thales ['0eili:z] of Miletus, a Greek sage and philosopher of
the 7th—6th centuries, one of the Seven Sages of Greece
Thebes f'0i:bz], an ancient Greek city; its early history was
subject of many legends including those of cadmus, oedipus
and Antigone.
Thermopylae [0a:'mopih], a passage in Eastern Greece, famous
for the battle of 480 В. C., when it was defended by a few Spar­
tans under Leonida s against a Persian army.
Theseus ['0i:sju:s], in Greek mythology, the chief Attic hero,
son of Aegeus, king of atiiens. He rid Attica of Procrustes and
204

other evildoers; slew the Cretan Minotaur, sailsd to colchis
with the argonauts, conquered the amazons, and performed
many other famous exploits.
Thetis ['Setis], in Greek mythology, a sea-nymph, the mother
o f ACHILLES.
Thomas, the Doubter ['tomas Ээ 'dauta], in the Bible, one of
the twelve apostles who refused to believe that C h ri s t had risen
from the tomb unless he could see and touch his wounds.
Tibullus [ti'b.\las], a Roman poet of the 1st century В. C.
Tintoretto [,tinta'retou] (1518— 1594), an Italian painter.
T itan ['taitan], in Greek mythology, one of the 12 gigantic
children of Heaven and Earth. Chronos, a Titan, was the father
of z e u s and other Olympians. In the war with the Olympian gods
the Titans were overthrown.
Titian ['tijian] (1407— 1576), a well-known Venetian painter.
Titus ['taitas] (40—81 A. D.), a Roman emperor.
Troy [troi], an ancient city in Asia Minor, famous as the scene
of Homer’s Iliad.
Tyrrhenian Sea [ti'ri:njan], part of the Mediterranean Sea,
south-west of Italy.
Ulysses [ju(:)'lisi:z], see Odysseus.
Venus ['vi:nas], the Roman goddess of love and beauty, identi­
fiedbytheGreeks with aphrodite.
Vespasian [ves'pei3jsn], (9—79 A. D .), a Roman emperor.
Virgil (also Vergil) ['va:d3il], (70— 19 В. C .), a Roman poet,
the author of the Aeneid.
Wagner [\га:дпэ] (1813— 1883), a German composer, made an
important contribution to the development of opera in Europe.
Xerxes ['za:ksi:z] (519?—465 В. C .), king of ancient P ersi a .
Zeus [zju:s], the chief of the Olympian gods, corresponding to
the Roman jupiter,

INDEX OF PARALLEL PHRASES
Авгиевы конюшни The Augean stables 23
Адамово яблоко Adam's apple 8
Альфа и Омега Alpha and Omega 15
Ариаднина нить The thread of Ariadne 173
Аттическая соль Attic salt 22
Ахиллесова пята The heel of Achilles 88
Беден как Лазарь As poor as Lazarus 22
Беречь как зеницу ока То cherish as the apple of one's eye 46
Благими намерениями ад вымощен Hell is paved with good inten­
tions 90
Блудный сын A prodigal son 143
Богат, как Крез Rich as Croesus 150
Бочка Данаид Danaides’ work 57
Бочка Диогена The tub of Diogenes 179
Бросить первый камень To cast the first stone 44
Буриданов осел Buridan’s ass 34
Вавилонская башня A tower of Babel 178
Вавилонское столпотворение Confusion of Babylon 48
Валаамова ослица Balaam’s ass 27
Век Августа The Augustan age 24
Век Перикла The Periclean age 135
Вечный город The Eternal City 72
Вечный жид A Wandering Jew 186
Висеть на волоске To hang by a thread 86
Висячие сады Вавилона (сады Семирамиды) The Hanging gar­
dens of Babylon 86
Вкушать от древа познания То eat of the tree of knowledge 08
В объятиях Морфея In the arms of Morpheus 20
Волк в овечьей шкуре A wolf in sheep’s clothing 190
Волшебная лампа Аладдина Aladdin's lamp 11
В поте лица By (in) the sweat of one’s brow 38
Все дороги ведут в Рим All roads lead to Rome 14
Ганнибалова клятва Hannibal’s vow 88
Геркулесов труд Hercules’ labour 91
Геркулесовы столпы (столбы) The Pillars of Hercules 138
Гордиев узел The Gordian knot 82
Дамоклов меч The Sword of Damocles 169
Дары данайцев A Greek gift (the Trojan horse) 83
Двуликий Янус Two-faced Janus 180
Деньги не пахнут Money has no smell 119
Держать порох сухим To keep one’s powder dry 99
Драконовы (драконовские) законы (меры) Draconian laws (code)
64
Жена Лота Lot's wife 110
Жена Цезаря Caesar’s wife 40
Жребий брошен The die is cast 60
Загадка сфинкса The riddle of the Sphinx 151
Заклать жирного тельца To kill the fatted calf 100
Закон Ликурга The law of Lycurgus 108
Закон мидян и персов The law of the Medes and Persians 109
Запретный плод The forbidden fruit 77
206

Зарыть талант в землю То bury one’s talent 37
Знание—сила Knowledge is power 102
Золотое руно The Golden Fleece 80
Золотой век The Golden Age 78
Зубы дракона Dragon’s teeth 65
Избиение младенцев The massacre of the innocents 114
Имя им легион Their name is legion 172
Иов многострадальный A poor Job 140
И ты, Брут? And thou too oh Brutus 16
Каинова печать The mark of Cain 113
Калиф на час A Caliph for a day 41
Кастор и Поллукс Castor and Pollux (Dioscuri) 42
Кающаяся Магдалина A repentant Magdalene 148
Колесо фортуны The wheel of Fortune 188
Колосс на глиняных ногах Colossus on the feet of clay 47
Корень зла The root of all evil 154
Краеугольный камень The cornerstone 51
Крокодиловы слезы Crocodile tears 52
Лебединая песня Swan song 168
Летучий голландец The Flying Dutchman 76
Лукуллов пир A Lucullus (Lucullean) feast 111
Львиная доля The lion’s share 110
Между Сциллой и Харибдой Between Scylla and Charybdis 156
Мерзость запустения Abomination of desolation 7
Метать бисер перед свиньями То cast pearls before swine 43
Мидасовы уши Midas's ears 117
Моя половина (жена) My better half 120
Муки Тантала The torments of Tantalus 176
На седьмом небе In the seventh heaven 161
Неписаный закон An (the) unwritten law 183
Ноев ковчег Noah’s ark 122
Одна ласточка не делает весны One swallow does not make
a summer 127
Оливковая ветвь The olive bra nch 125
Панический страх (ужас) Panic fear (terror) 131
Перейти Рубикон To cross the Rubicon 54
Пиррова победа A Pyrrhic victory 147
Платоническая любовь Plato nic love 139
Под эгидой Under the aegis 182
Познай самого себя Know thyself 103
Поклоняться Ба хусу To worship Bacchus 191
Полет И кар а The flight of Icarus 74
Получить пальму первенства To take (bear) the palm 171
Последний день Помпеи The last day of Pompeii 105
Последний из могикан The last of the mohicans 107
После нас хоть потоп After us, the Deluge 10
Поцелуй Иуды A Judas kiss 97
Почить на лаврах To rest on one’s laurels 149
Пришел, увидел, победил Veni, vidi, vici 185
Прокрустово ложе The Procrustean bed 141
Прометеев огонь Promethean fire 144
Пуп земли The Hub of the Universe 95
Пряжа Пенелопы Penelope’s web 133
Разделяй и властвуй Divide and rule (Divide and govern) 61
207

Рог изобилия The horn of plenty 94
Рыцарь печального образа The knight of the rueful countenance
101
Святая святых The Holy of Holies 93
Сезам, отворись! Open, Sesame! 127
Семь чудес света Seven wonders of the world 162
Сжечь (свои) корабли To burn one’s boats 35
Сизифов труд A Sisyphean labour (task, toil) 163
Синий чулок A blue stocking 31
Синяя борода A Blue beard 30
Служить и богу и маммоне То serve God and Mammon 160
Смертный грех A deadly sin 59
Собака на сене A dog in the manger 62
Совещание за круглым столом A round-table conference 154
Содом и Гоморра Sodom and Gomorrah 165
Соломоново решение Solomon’s judgement 165
Со щитом или на щите With the shield or on it 189
Спартанское воспитание Spartan upbringing 167
Сражаться с ветряными мельницами То tilt at the windmills 175
Стар как Мафусаил As old as Methuselah 20
Стоокий Аргус Hundred-eyed Argus 96
Тридцать сребреников Thirty pieces of silver 173
Троянский конь The Trojan horse 179
Узы Гименея The bonds (ties) of Hymen 33
Умывать руки To wash one’s hands (of) 187
Феникс, возрождающийся из пепла Phoenix rising from the
ashes 137
Фермопилы The Pass of Thermopylae 132
Фиговый листок A fig-leaf 73
Филемон и Бавкида Baucis and Philemon 28
Фома неверный (неверующий) A doubting Thomas 64
Хлеба и зрелищ Bread and circuses 33
Цель оправдывает средства The end justifies the means 70
Чечевичная похлебка A mess of pottage 115
Эолова арфа An Aeolian harp 9
Яблоко раздора The apple of discord 18
Ярмарка тщеславия Vanity Fair 184
Ящик Пандоры Pandora’s box 129